A dash of death metal makes “The Piña Colada Song” weirdly tolerable

Singer-songwriter Rupert Holmes may have a lot to atone for in the next life. His “Escape (The Piña Colada Song),” the final chart-topping song of the 1970s, has been plaguing listeners for decades with its insipid but catchy melody and its contrived, sitcom-esque story about attempted infidelity and sugary cocktails. Is there any salvation for this record, a frequent nominee for the worst pop song of all time? Happily, the answer is yes. The solution is as simple as transplanting the infamous song from one genre to another. Musician Andy Rehfeldt, who has previously worked his magic on Mary Poppins and “You’re The One That I Want,” has now blessed the world with a blistering death metal rendition of “The Piña Colada Song” that represents a major improvement over the original 1979 recording. “My brother Doug hates this song with a passion,” Rehfeldt explains, “so he requested that I make this version.” Mission accomplished.