# How Do You Interpret Rupert Holmes' "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 4, 2019, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-interpret-rupert-holmes-escape-the-pina-colada-song/839694 "2019-09-04T17:10:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Brayne\_Ded](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Brayne\_Ded](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brayne_Ded)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-interpret-rupert-holmes-escape-the-pina-colada-song/839694/61 "2019-09-07T10:02:34Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > This is how I’ve always heard it. It’s supposed to be a breezy, fun little cute pop number with a happy ending but, goddamn, I just cannot get past the whole “I was going to cheat on you, and you were going to cheat on me” scenario of the song. I really don’t see something like that ending in a rekindled romance and just shrug of the shoulders and laughing the whole thing off as “what a wacky coincidence! We both like pina coladas, and dancing in the rain! And are open to cheating on our spouses!” > > Yes, that relationship is a winner. The reason why I hate the song is precisely because it is so bright and breezy about a couple who are cheating on each other… The lyrics, Rupert Holmes’s singing and the tune just glide over the nasty problem of what happens now. Too superficial by far. Too unrealistic. So they end up happily sharing what turns out to be the favorite drink of both of them? Yeah, really. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-interpret-rupert-holmes-escape-the-pina-colada-song/839694/62 "2019-09-07T10:39:31Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Well, they hadn’t yet. They were considering it. He admits “I didn’t think about my lady, I know that sounds kind of mean…”. Yeah, from the tone of the song, I get the impression that they were relieved and pleasantly surprised that it was each other. IMHO whether they ultimately stay together really depends on how cynical or romantic the listener is. It’s kind of the 70s musical equivalent of one of those rom coms where we believe all the drama and nonsense of the past 90 minutes is resolved by one party chasing the other to the airport and what amounts to committing any number of felonies related to disrupting the operations of an airplane. Best not to over think it. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-interpret-rupert-holmes-escape-the-pina-colada-song/839694/63 "2019-09-07T12:18:52Z")
I had always assumed that, having decided in the third verse to laugh the whole thing off, they continued with the artifice that this was a cute, one-off instance of almost philandering and just continued with the affairs they both were already having with others. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-interpret-rupert-holmes-escape-the-pina-colada-song/839694/64 "2019-09-07T15:38:55Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > The line that would be a deal-breaker for me is “if you have half a brain”. I would take that as an assertion that her current partner (me) was lacking such. Exactly. Also the strangely specific, ‘if you’re not into yoga’ line in a personal want ad. What the fuck? STDs, face tattoos, or a molestation record are reasonable deal breakers, I’ve never heard anyone have such strong feeling about yoga. She’s sick of this particular dude and he just mentions he doesn’t care for health food and likes drinking, what that has to do with yoga I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Royal\_Nonesutch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecb155/32.png) [@Royal\_Nonesutch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Royal_Nonesutch)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-interpret-rupert-holmes-escape-the-pina-colada-song/839694/65 "2019-09-07T15:47:20Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > She’s sick of this particular dude and he just mentions he doesn’t care for health food and likes drinking, what that has to do with yoga I don’t know. YOU ever tried to get into the Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) while eating a bacon jalapeno double cheeseburg and drinking a delicious frozen tropical cocktail all in sweet anticipation of “Makin’ love at midnight.”? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-interpret-rupert-holmes-escape-the-pina-colada-song/839694/66 "2019-09-07T19:16:39Z")
> [@Brayne\_Ded](#): > > The reason why I hate the song is precisely because it is so bright and breezy about a couple who are cheating on each other… … Not cheating - _yet_. Seriously contemplating cheating, yes. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-interpret-rupert-holmes-escape-the-pina-colada-song/839694/67 "2019-09-07T19:18:59Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Exactly. Also the strangely specific, ‘if you’re not into yoga’ line in a personal want ad. What the fuck? STDs, face tattoos, or a molestation record are reasonable deal breakers, I’ve never heard anyone have such strong feeling about yoga. > … It wasnt yoga or health food per se, it was more of “\*If you’re not into getting into whatever trend is now trending, just because it’s trending…” \* You had to be there. People who didnt know what Yoga was were doing it. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-interpret-rupert-holmes-escape-the-pina-colada-song/839694/68 "2019-09-07T22:53:21Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Exactly. Also the strangely specific, ‘if you’re not into yoga’ line in a personal want ad. What the fuck? STDs, face tattoos, or a molestation record are reasonable deal breakers, I’ve never heard anyone have such strong feeling about yoga. > > She’s sick of this particular dude and he just mentions he doesn’t care for health food and likes drinking, what that has to do with yoga I don’t know. You think a personal ad that said “No STDs or child molesters please” would get more action? Sounds a little too much like “been there, done that” methinks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-interpret-rupert-holmes-escape-the-pina-colada-song/839694.md?page=3)