The Accidental Genius Behind “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” with Rupert Holmes

Coming up, possibly the most likable person I’ve ever interviewed. Rupert Holmes…He’s Such a great storyteller… Well it’s a special one today as he tells the story of a beloved song that was the final #1 Hit of the 70s and would’ve been the first #1 of the 80s but Payola ruined that… Escape (the Pina Colada Song) Although he did hit #1 a week into the new decade but it’s ironic that this song was the last #1 of the 70s and one of the first of the 80s because the song itself has one foot in both decades and to think it’s singer and creator had a completely different lyric when he went into the recording booth but in a split second he changed the main lyric from one unique phrase to another that was completely off the wall and the split second decision changed everything. He was freaking out because he had to some crazy word play to make the syllables fit and the song had to have a second drummer to make it all fit but it became one of the most famous songs ever… The story is next on Professor of Rock. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .