Escape (The Piña Colada Song)

Album: Partners In Crime (1979)
Charted: 23 1
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  • I was tired of my lady, we'd been together too long
    Like a worn-out recording, of a favorite song
    So while she lay there sleeping, I read the paper in bed
    And in the personals column, there was this letter I read

    "If you like Piña Coladas, and getting caught in the rain
    If you're not into yoga, if you have half a brain
    If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape
    I'm the love that you've looked for, write to me, and escape"

    I didn't think about my lady, I know that sounds kind of mean
    But me and my old lady, had fallen into the same old dull routine
    So I wrote to the paper, took out a personal ad
    And though I'm nobody's poet, I thought it wasn't half bad

    "Yes, I like Piña Coladas, and getting caught in the rain
    I'm not much into health food, I am into champagne
    I've got to meet you by tomorrow noon, and cut through all this red tape
    At a bar called O'Malley's, where we'll plan our escape"

    So I waited with high hopes, then she walked in the place
    I knew her smile in an instant, I knew the curve of her face
    It was my own lovely lady, and she said, "Oh, it's you"
    And we laughed for a moment, and I said, "I never knew"

    "That you liked Piña Coladas, and getting caught in the rain
    And the feel of the ocean, and the taste of champagne
    If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape
    You're the lady that I've looked for, come with me, and escape"

    "If you like Piña Coladas, and getting caught in the rain
    If you're not into yoga, if you have half a brain
    If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape Writer/s: Rupert Holmes
    Publisher: Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 32

  • Real-i-am from Fantasy LandI’ve gone ahead and fixed the end of lyrics to better reflect reality

    So I waited with high hopes, then she walked in the place
    I knew her face in an instant, I knew the anger of her face
    It was my own pissed off lady, and she said, "Oh, you pig!”

    And we stared for a moment, and I said, "I’ll find someplace new”

    "Bitch you liked Pina Coladas, you got caught, you’re a pain
    And the feel of the oh’shame when I tell all our friends”
    And She said “ yeah well you’re an asshole, they don’t care, and that’s really lame.”

    “You're a mean girl and whore. Well I hate piña colada’s, they taste like keopectate”
  • Tania from Brisbane, AustraliaIt’s still one of my favourite songs along with “Him”
  • Jef from Passaic, Nj UsaRubert Holmes does not care for piña coladas. He once said on "The Uncle Floyd Show" that they taste like Kaopectate, a medication for the treatment of diarrhea.
  • Michael E from Rockford IllinoisThis is the WORST song that was ever written!!! He just made the lyrics up while he was playing! Crap!
  • Spartacus from Athens, GreeceUgh. This dude comes across as a f--king douchbag. He is so bored that he wants to cheat. Plus he doesn't know sh-t about his own wife. Pathetic but still the melody is catchy.
  • Brian from Boston, MaI like this song.I also like margaritaville tequilla sunrise and red red wine.....oh my god I think I might be an alchoholic!
  • Fine Brown Sugar from Kansas City, Moi love this song it my favorite i use it as my caller tune and ringer they dont make songs like this no more
  • Jess from Cobram, Australiahaha i first heard this song on Shrek when Lord Farquad (?) chooses princess Fiona to be his future queen lol. and never knew what it was about or any thing until just now haha.

    and suprisingly i love it!!
  • Billie from New York City, NyI've heard this song for nearly 30 years without ever hearing it, now it is a favorite. Interesting to read RH's notes about writing/arranging it: the drum is amazing. It came first.
  • Bianje from St.kitts/nevis, United StatesI've loved this song for years and years. What a punchline. Whenever I hear it and I'm with people who don't know it I tell them the storyline. I think it's a great classic of a song.I guess I dreamt of escaping and making love in the dunes....LOL. Pretty romantic too.
  • Tammy from San Diego, Cai have always loved this song, my boyfriend and i were discussing this song and if it was the guy who was the person who took out the add, i said yes but in reply to his wifes add. lots of interesting facts on this song. its great that mr holmes gave his own input for the site.

    red tape is a term used for paperwork that you have to get through to accomplish something. think of it like crime scene tape and in order to get to the scene of the crime you have to get through it.
  • N from Staten Island, Ny"Escape / Piña Colada" is Holmes' best known song. But prior to this he had put out great stuff like "Rifles and Rum", "Studio Musician", "I Don't wanna hold Your Hand" and "Widescreen" that received airplay only on a few AOR stations like the great WNEW-FM in NYC.

    A site dedicated to RH:
    http://www.rupertholmes.com/home.html
  • Mark from Lancaster, OhI always tell my wife that this is a tragic song. I mean, he went to all that effort, and here he comes up with the same woman.

    Then she gives me a poke. Women don't always think these things are amusing.
  • Joyce from Philippineswonderful, wonderful. all i can say. and that i would use this song if i'd put up _my_ own ad.
  • Marissa from Is This Optional?, Ohthis is a great song for a summer night. I am in love with all things related to the taste or smell of pina coladas -- I even had body wash that smelled like the stuff! and of course I can't wait to try a real pina colada *as soon as I'm of age* ^_^
  • Norbert from Oaklahomacity, Orrupert holmes was in the boyyes in the 60's
  • Greg from Victoria, CanadaRubbish!
  • Amanda from Edmonton, CanadaBillboard top hits 1979 (CD) I love this song, it actually the only song I like fro '79
  • Katie from Boston, Ma"if you like making love at midnight, on the dunes of the cape...." Does anybody know if the cape that is referred to in this line of the song is Cape Cod, MA? I need to know!!
  • Joshua from Twin Cities, Mn"If I had ever known that was going to be the song that I'd be most associated with, I might have had second thoughts about a lot of it." Hmmm... an interesting comment by Mr. Holmes, considering that before "Escape," the song he was probably most associated with was the infamous "Timothy".
  • Erin from Louisville, KyThis song is also used in the Dreamwork's picture, Shrek starring Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy.
  • Moocakes from San Gabriel, Cawhat's the red tape?
  • Howard from St. Louis Park, MnI read that when Rupert Holmes was bookd for The Merv Griffin Show, the producers wanted him to wear a Hawaiian shirt and sing the song while making a Pina Colada. He eventually sang the song without making the drink.

    This is a great storysong that's very well written.
  • Meghan from Saline, MiIt was recently featured in the movie Bewitched, and is also on the soundtrack.
  • Jane from San Antonio, TxI know I'm being pedantic, but please note that Charles Dickens actually wrote "the Mystery of Edwin Drood" in 1870! So, Rupert Holmes may have *adapted* it for screenplay, but *write it* he did not!
  • Keith Major from Bristol, EnglandThe single features on Rupert's album "Partners in Crime" (c1980)
  • Ken from Louisville, KyHolmes was the lead singer in a studio group in the late 1960's called "The Street People". They had one modest hit called "Jennifer Tompkins".

  • Cindy from Sydney, United StatesThis song's good.
    Pina Colada's are mad!!!!!
  • Jammie from Deckerville, MiThis song is also used in "Detroit Rock CIty".
  • Christopher from Greenfield Center, NyThis song was used in the NBC show Las Vegas. It was used as a cue in a card counting scheme.
  • Michael from Akron, OhAs a member of The Bouys back in the late 60's Rupert had a hit with "Timothy".....and I still believe the only [and hopefully last] song about cannibalism to ever hit the charts. You can read about that song elsewhere on Songfacts
  • Lesley from London, EnglandWhere can I buy this record/CD?
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