I've noted before that the 1980s, musically, could be split into mini-eras including those for punk, urban country, new wave and the mainstream geneses of rap and hip-hop.

However, soft and mellow pop rock was a staple throughout the decade, a hangover from the 1970s, if you will.

And, as part of a project to count down my Top 10 from each year of the decade -- based on Billboard's year-end Hot 100 charts, meaning only those songs are eligible -- I kick things off with the poster child for late 1970s, early 1980s mellowness.

Rupert Holmes was an in-demand session player for much of the 1970s, and he became a big pop star even though he looked like a librarian. As I was reviewing the top 100 songs from 1980, I was struck by how "Escape" at once annoyed the snot out of me and yet satisfied the part of me who hopes to one day be an accomplished songwriter.

I'll tell you why.

"Escape," or as it's better known, "The Pina Colada Song," is the type of tune that drunk thirtysomethings wail to on karaoke night. It's lyrics about "getting caught in the rain," and "having half a brain," and its period references to things like "yoga" were the stuff of pain to many hipsters of the day.

However, from a songwriter's perspective, this tune was an achievement. No, it has no lasting legacy. It's not a vital song for your collection. However, in terms of the "craft," as some writers will call it, "Escape" was pretty much craft perfection.

It told a story. It was clever. It was relevant to the time, kind of like a novelty song. It was tight.

Musically, I think it was merely adequate. The notes and the chords and the musical structure never got in the way of the lyrics. Again, we're not talking about Bob Dylan here, although according to Holmes' wikipedia entry, Rolling Stone magazine once compared him to Dylan insomuch as he was original and "commanded attention."

Perhaps that command of attention was in his everyman look, and I suspect I'm not giving his musical chops nearly enough credit. Likewise, my hope is that you'll review the entire Top 10, as I write about them each night, to get a feel for just how vast they variety was back in 1980.

YouTube didn't have a Rupert Holmes video for this tune, but a studio put together a computer animation that was pretty good. So, enjoy "Escape," and then listen to his follow-up, "Him," which frankly is way more in my musical wheelhouse.

1980 Top 10 Countdown, No. 10: "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)," by Rupert Holmes

Bonus video: "Him," by Rupert Holmes