Barry Manilow – Copcabana
The third and final single released from Barry Manilow’s 1978 album, ‘Even Now’ was written by Manilow, Jack Feldman, and Bruce Sussman and happened to come from a conversation Sussman and Manilow were having in the ACTUAL Copacabana Hotel in Rio de Janeiro.
The two couldn’t think of any song written about the Copa so Manilow suggested Sussman and Feldman write some sort of story song and he would write the music.
From that came the Top 10 hit, “Copacabana”, about Lola and Tony and the gangster who took a liking to Lola, causing a fight to break out where Tony gets shot and killed by Rico (the gangster). Then, in the years ahead, Lola is still found at the Copa, an old woman drinking herself into oblivion at the loss of her love.
“Copacabana” peaked at #8 on the Hot 100 and became Manilow’s third biggest hit and his only Grammy award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
