Talk about fleeting glory. Few pop artists ever have had the success that Christopher Cross had in the early 1980s only to disappear off the face of the planet.

Only he didn't disappear. He still plays and still records and writes and collaborates and all that. He's simply not uber-famous anymore, like he was after winning like seven Grammy Awards for his work in 1980. He was the best new everything that year, riding high off several hit singles, particularly "Sailin'".

To actively like Christopher Cross in pop culture circles is to really come close to the abyss. However, you'll find that among songwriters and musicians, he is very well respected. However, for me, one of his hits is a classic.

"Ride Like The Wind" was a giant hit in 1980, reaching No. 2 on the charts. Cross dedicated it to a member of the band Little Feat who had died in 1979, according to wikipedia. It featured Michael McDonald on backing vocals and a young Eric Johnson on guitar.

I'm not sure this tune stands the pop culture test of time, but it pleases my ears musically like few others of the piano pop era of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Great groove. Great melody. Great hook. Great words. Great guitar solo. I'll just wallow in my dorkdom and love this song, my No. 2 for all of 1980.

No. 2 -- "Ride Like The Wind," Christopher Cross

Before we get to No. 1 for 1980, how about a quick look at the rest of my Top 10:

No. 10 - "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)"

No. 9 - "Give Me The Night"

No. 8 - "The Biggest Part of Me"

No. 7 - "The Tide Is High"

No. 6 - "Refugee"

No. 5 - "You May Be Right"

No. 4 - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"

No. 3 -- "Brass In Pocket"