Think of Laura
Encyclopedia
"Think of Laura" is the title of a popular song by the American
Grammy Award
-winning singer-songwriter
Christopher Cross
. Released as a single
in late 1983 from Cross' second studio album, Another Page
, "Think of Laura" became the singer's fourth (and, to date, final) single to reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart, where it peaked at #9 in early 1984. The song spent eleven weeks in the Top 40. In addition, the song became Cross' third single to hit #1 on the adult contemporary chart
, following "Never Be the Same
" and "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)
". "Think of Laura" remained at #1 on this chart for four weeks. The song was written by Cross and produced by Michael Omartian
.
The song became popularized when the American television network ABC
began playing "Think of Laura" in reference to characters on the soap opera
General Hospital
. One of the program's supercouple
s, Luke and Laura, were quite popular at the time, and the song came to be associated with the characters and their portrayers, Genie Francis
and Anthony Geary
. Cross allowed ABC to use his song in this context; however, he has stated that he wrote "Think of Laura" to mourn the death of Denison University college student Laura Carter who was killed when she was struck by a stray bullet fired over a block away, during an altercation between four men.
Carter, a lacrosse player from Wayne, Pennsylvania, was sitting in the back seat of a car, being driven by her father, who with his wife, was visiting their daughter for the college's annual homecoming weekend. They planned to take her and two friends to dinner in Columbus, Ohio, having just watched them compete in a lacrosse match.
Cross had come to meet Laura through her college roommate Paige, whom Cross was dating at the time. Paige was pictured on the inner sleeve of the "Another Page" album, sitting on a stool. Cross wrote the song as a way of offering comfort to Paige, and honoring Carter's memory.
"Think of Laura" has a relatively straightforward arrangement, with the singer's vocals and a piano accompaniment. The lyrics express the sorrow felt by those who knew the woman but ask that she be remembered with happiness: When you think of Laura, laugh, don't cry / I know she'd want it that way.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Christopher Cross
Christopher Cross
Christopher Cross is an American singer-songwriter from San Antonio, Texas. His debut album earned him five Grammys. He is perhaps best known for his Top Ten hit songs, "Sailing", "Ride Like the Wind", and "Arthur's Theme ", the last of which he performed for the film Arthur starring Dudley Moore...
. Released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in late 1983 from Cross' second studio album, Another Page
Another Page
Another Page is Christopher Cross' second studio album, recorded in 1983. Although not as big in terms of sales and chart position of its predecessor, Christopher Cross, the third single, "Think of Laura" reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984, although it was his last Top 10 single...
, "Think of Laura" became the singer's fourth (and, to date, final) single to reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, where it peaked at #9 in early 1984. The song spent eleven weeks in the Top 40. In addition, the song became Cross' third single to hit #1 on the adult contemporary chart
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
, following "Never Be the Same
Never Be the Same
"Never Be the Same" is the title of the third single by singer-songwriter Christopher Cross, released from his debut Grammy Award-winning album Christopher Cross. It was the singer's third consecutive single to reach the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it peaked at number 15 late in 1980...
" and "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)
Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)
"Arthur's Theme " is a song performed by Christopher Cross, which was the theme to the 1981 film Arthur starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli...
". "Think of Laura" remained at #1 on this chart for four weeks. The song was written by Cross and produced by Michael Omartian
Michael Omartian
Michael Omartian is an Armenian-American singer-songwriter, keyboardist, and music producer. He has been a participant in over 350,000,000 albums and CD’s sold worldwide, as a producer, arranger, artist or musician, during a career that has spanned over 38 years...
.
The song became popularized when the American television network ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
began playing "Think of Laura" in reference to characters on the soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
. One of the program's supercouple
Supercouple
A supercouple or super couple is a popular or financially wealthy pairing that intrigues and fascinates the public in an intense or even obsessive fashion...
s, Luke and Laura, were quite popular at the time, and the song came to be associated with the characters and their portrayers, Genie Francis
Genie Francis
Eugenie "Genie" Francis Frakes is an American actress known for her portrayal of Laura Spencer on the ABC daytime drama General Hospital. She is currently playing Genevieve Atkinson on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless...
and Anthony Geary
Anthony Geary
Anthony Geary is an American actor. He has starred on the ABC daytime drama General Hospital as Luke Spencer from 1978 to 1984 and from 1993 to present.-Life and career:...
. Cross allowed ABC to use his song in this context; however, he has stated that he wrote "Think of Laura" to mourn the death of Denison University college student Laura Carter who was killed when she was struck by a stray bullet fired over a block away, during an altercation between four men.
Carter, a lacrosse player from Wayne, Pennsylvania, was sitting in the back seat of a car, being driven by her father, who with his wife, was visiting their daughter for the college's annual homecoming weekend. They planned to take her and two friends to dinner in Columbus, Ohio, having just watched them compete in a lacrosse match.
Cross had come to meet Laura through her college roommate Paige, whom Cross was dating at the time. Paige was pictured on the inner sleeve of the "Another Page" album, sitting on a stool. Cross wrote the song as a way of offering comfort to Paige, and honoring Carter's memory.
"Think of Laura" has a relatively straightforward arrangement, with the singer's vocals and a piano accompaniment. The lyrics express the sorrow felt by those who knew the woman but ask that she be remembered with happiness: When you think of Laura, laugh, don't cry / I know she'd want it that way.