Copacabana: mystery solved
It is no secret (perhaps it should be!) that I really like Barry Manilow's music. So I was listening to Copacabana for the millionth time today and I remembered something I've pondered for a long time: why can't anyone figure it out?
If you know the story - and you know you do - we have Lola and her boyfriend Tony who both work at the Copacabana. Rico turns up, starts flirting with Lola and the boys fight. Then "there was blood and a single gunshot, but just who shot who?"
This is the part I don't get. I mean, it works out as a lovely rhyme but it really shouldn't be that difficult to work out who shot who! There was a single gunshot and we know from the song that Lola "lost her Tony" so surely Rico shot Tony. Another possibility could be that both guys ended up dead, in which case the body that has the GSW was shot by the other one (and in that case, how did the non-shot person die? Punched to death?)
For some reason EVERY time I listen to this song I end up a bit cross with it because it's so obvious to me what happened! Or am I missing something?
Thoughts?
PS. YES I should really be spending my time thinking of less trivial things but that's what happens when all I have to think about is baby stuff...
If you know the story - and you know you do - we have Lola and her boyfriend Tony who both work at the Copacabana. Rico turns up, starts flirting with Lola and the boys fight. Then "there was blood and a single gunshot, but just who shot who?"
This is the part I don't get. I mean, it works out as a lovely rhyme but it really shouldn't be that difficult to work out who shot who! There was a single gunshot and we know from the song that Lola "lost her Tony" so surely Rico shot Tony. Another possibility could be that both guys ended up dead, in which case the body that has the GSW was shot by the other one (and in that case, how did the non-shot person die? Punched to death?)
For some reason EVERY time I listen to this song I end up a bit cross with it because it's so obvious to me what happened! Or am I missing something?
Thoughts?
PS. YES I should really be spending my time thinking of less trivial things but that's what happens when all I have to think about is baby stuff...
Comments
Lynne
The boys were fighting, and Lola shot at Rico to save Tony, accidentally shooting Tony, she went to jail (lost her youth) for murdering her boyfriend(lost her Tony), and (now) she lost her mind due to the guilt.
IMO, this is the only way that sets up the puzzle and solves it. while making ALL the lyrics work.
I was actually at the Copacabana that night, so I really know what happened. After Tony and Rico had a fight a friend of Rico pulled out a gun and shot Tony. He was hospitalised and was in a coma for a few months I think, but died after multiple organ failure. After that Lola stopped coming to the Copacabana for a while, but eventually ended up as a lonely alcoholic prostitute from what I heard.
I stopped going to the Copacabana a few months after the gun shot incident so I really don't know for sure.
Chris
Lola lost her Tony that way?
But there are so many variations available. Another option is that the bullet hit Lola, disfiguring or disabling her; ruining her showgirl career.
That’s ALWAYS been my take on it
Think about it, she was shot by rico and she died instantly but she still remains at the Copacabana after 30 years time because her spirit still remains at the place where she died which would make sense as to why she’s ‘still in the dress she use to wear, faded feathers in her hair’.
So she lost her youth because of her passing but she lost her tony because had to stay and watch him at the Copacabana not being able to communicate with him because she had unfinished business with him since her love story with tony wasnt over, which lead her to lose her mind since tony started to move on with his life.
taijah,sara and anaya
Also, she drinks herself half blind because tony was a bartender, so she would be drinking the drink tony poured.
sandra, tanisha and alex
Also, she drinks herself half blind because tony was a bartender, so she would be drinking the drink tony poured.