Copacabana (song)

Background

The song was inspired by a conversation between Manilow and Sussman at the Copacabana Hotel in Rio de Janeiro, when they discussed whether there had ever been a song called "Copacabana". After returning to the U.S., Manilow—who, in the 1960s, had been a regular visitor to the Copacabana nightclub in New York City—suggested that Sussman and Feldman write the lyrics to a story song for him. They did so, and Manilow supplied the music.

Lola Falana inspired the song's famous lyric, "Her name is Lola / She was a showgirl".

The song's lyrics call the Copacabana nightclub "the hottest spot north of Havana". The story focuses on Lola, a Copacabana showgirl, and her sweetheart Tony, a bartender at the club. One night, an ostentatiously wealthy man named Rico takes a fancy to Lola, but Tony intervenes when Rico becomes aggressive. The ensuing brawl ends in a gun being fired; although it is initially unclear "who shot who", it soon becomes apparent that Tony has died. Thirty years later, the club has been transformed into a discotheque, but a middle-aged Lola remains in her showgirl attire, now a customer at the bar who "drinks herself half blind" lamenting the loss of her youth, her sanity, and Tony.

Release and reception

"Copacabana" debuted on Billboard magazine's Top 40 chart on July 7, 1978, and peaked at number 8. It has also reached the Top 10 in Belgium, Canada, France and the Netherlands. Internationally, the song is Manilow's third-greatest hit. The track was his first gold single for a song he wrote or co-wrote. Additionally, the song earned Manilow his first and only Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in February 1979.

Cash Box said that "a Latin beat, congas and added percussion, strings and horns make it unusual."

Television film and musical

In 1985, Manilow and his collaborators Bruce Sussman and Jack Feldman expanded the song into a full-length, made-for-television musical, also called Copacabana, writing many additional songs and expanding the plot suggested by the song.

This film version was then further expanded by Manilow, Feldman, and Sussman into a full-length, two-act stage musical, again titled Copacabana, which ran at the Prince of Wales Theatre on London's West End for two years before a lengthy tour of the UK. An American production was later mounted that toured the US for over a year. Over 200 productions of the show have since been mounted worldwide.

Personnel

• Barry Manilow – vocals, acoustic piano
• Bill Mays – keyboards
• Mitch Holder – guitar
• Will Lee – bass
• Ronnie Zito – drums
• Alan Estes – percussion
• Artie Butler – orchestration
• Ginger Blake, Laura Creamer, Linda Dillard – backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Cover versions

• Liza Minnelli performed "Copacabana" on a 1979 episode of the American syndicated television program The Muppet Show.
• Kylie Minogue performed the song on her 2008 KylieX2008 tour.
• The Harvard Din & Tonics performed "Copacabana" in 2024, resulting in a viral TikTok video.

References

References

1. https://www.mixonline.com/recording/classic-tracks/classic-tracks-barry-manilows-copacabana-365936
2. (2009). "The Copa: Jules Podell and the Hottest Club North of Havana". [[HarperCollins]].
3. "Vintage Vamp: Showgirl Lola Falana". www.essence.com.
4. "Top 40 Hits – 1950–1989". ntl.matrix.com.br.
5. "Song artist 244 - Barry Manilow". tsort.info.
6. "Copacabana (At The Copa) by Barry Manilow Songfacts". www.songfacts.com.
7. "Barry Manilow ". www.grammy.com.
8. (June 10, 1978). "CashBox Singles Reviews". Cash Box.
9. "Barry Manilow - Copacabana (At The Copa)". www.ultratop.be.
10. (July 17, 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". www.bac-lac.gc.ca.
11. "RPM Adult Oriented Playlist". www.collectionscanada.gc.ca.
12. (July 17, 2013). "Item: 7471 - Library and Archives Canada". www.bac-lac.gc.ca.
13. "InfoDisc : Les Tubes de chaque Artiste commençant par M". infodisc.fr.
14. "Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de.
15. "Barry Manilow ". www.top40.nl.
16. "Discografie Barry Manilow". dutchcharts.nl.
17. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart ". nztop40.co.nz.
18. "Barry Manilow Chart History ". Billboard.com.
19. "Adult Contemporary Music Chart ".
20. "Barry Manilow Chart History ". www.billboard.com.
21. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 05 Jun 1994". [[Australian Recording Industry Association.
22. "BARRY MANILOW ". www.officialcharts.com.
23. "Kent Music Report No 236 – 1 January 1979 > National Top 100 Singles for 1978". [[Kent Music Report]].
24. "ULTRATOP BELGIAN CHARTS". www.ultratop.be.
25. "Item: 110". www.bac-lac.gc.ca.
26. "JAAROVERZICHTEN - SINGLE 1978". dutchcharts.nl.
27. "Top 100 Hits of 1978/Top 100 Songs of 1978". www.musicoutfitters.com.
28. "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1978".
29. (2021-02-22). "10 most iconic guests on The Muppet Show".
30. (2012-07-30). "7/30/1979 - 'Liza Minnelli (MS)'".
31. "Kylie Minogue "Copacabana" Cover Release". www.popcrunch.com.
32. (2024-08-08). "Elio Kennedy-Yoon Is Flattered to Be Your 'Copacabana' Crush".