The "Rick Springfield Effect"

(a.k.a. Why Christopher Cross probably hates Rick Springfield)

First, a little about our two main subjects:

Who is Christopher Cross?

If you’re Gen-Z, he’s the guy that wrote the song the snail sings in the movie “Sing” ("Ride Like The Wind").
If you’re a Millennial, he’s the guy that wrote the Boat-Rock classic “Sailing”, as well as the song the snail sings in the movie “Sing”.
If you’re Generation X, he’s the guy that had a bunch of massive hits right before MTV came in and wiped him from the planet. He’s the Chris Cross who didn’t wear his pants backwards.

Who is Rick Springfield?

Well, if you’re Gen-Z, you might know him only as the “old one-hit wonder Jessie’s Girl” guy.
If you’re a Millennial, you WILL know him as the one-hit wonder “Jessie’s Girl Guy” your older sister was hot for but who’s gotten old.
But if you’re in Generation X, you will know him as the multi-platinum-selling heartthrob from General Hospital who was on the radio and MTV constantly from 1981-1986 who “still looks good for his age”. He was everywhere and for a long time. He won the 1982 Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance for “Jessie’s Girl”. NOT a one-hit wonder. Between 1981-1988 Rick had 17 top 40 hits, another top 100 hit, and starred in a major motion picture, Hard To Hold.

Cross dominated the airwaves in 1979. He certainly (as did his record company) thought his next album would be an even bigger success. His second album came out in 1983, by which time he was gone from the public zeitgeist. Why? Because in 1981 MTV happened and video killed the radio star. More accurately, Cross had a face for radio and MTV introduced the world to people like Rick Springfield, who were just as talented but looked like..well..Rick Springfield.

Image and style became just as important (if not more) than actual substance. Those who had both (like Springfield, Billy Squire, Pat Benatar, etc.) came to the forefront of MTV, and as a result, the radio. MTV was filled with people who, if not outright good looking, had unique styles or an outrageous appearance. Christopher Cross looked like your plumber. It didn’t matter that he was really, really talented. He had to be more. But he couldn’t. And probably wouldn’t if he could. He stayed true to himself and that’s awesome. But his day in the sun was over.

So, while MTV gave us amazing artists in our living rooms and eventually airwaves, they were also the gatekeepers for other very talented people. So like anything, there was good, and there was bad. But if you didn’t have something visual to set you apart, like Rick did, you didn’t really stand a chance. 

Cross and Springfield are still alive, still out touring and having fun. Springfield in particular draws a crowd.

Oddly enough, Cross’s last really public song was “Think of Laura”, a song about a character from the soap opera General Hospital. A show which helped bring Rick Springfield into the American zeitgeist, where his song “Jessie’s Girl” remains.

Your working class dog,
Vannyboy