1998 Garth Brooks Feel-Good Tropical Party Anthem Soared to No. 1 on the Charts
In 1998, Garth Brooks delivered a breezy, feel-good anthem that brought a tropical twist to country radio and quickly climbed to the top of the charts.
"Two Piña Coladas" was the third release from his LP Sevens. Shawn Camp, Benita Hill and Sandy Mason wrote the song.
The tune tells the story of a heartbroken man who heads to the beach to drown his sorrows in the fruity, tropical drink. He soon leaves his pain by the sea, singing, "Any troubles I forgot 'em. I buried 'em in the sand."
"Two Piña Coladas" has long been a crowd favorite at Brooks' concerts, often drawing enthusiastic sing-alongs from fans. While not always one of his biggest signature anthems, its upbeat, beachy energy makes it a highlight of his live shows.
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The tune would hit the top spot on Billboard's Hot Country Chart on May 9, 1998. It remained a chart favorite for 28 weeks in total.
Camp spoke to Thom Shepherd for the YouTube series Songwriters. He discussed how the untraditional country song came to be.
Shepherd explained that he, Hill, and Mason were in a songwriting lull and didn't have any ideas. "We all left the room and went outside," he began.
"It was springtime 1998, and I just wanted to go to the beach," he continued. "Sandy said, 'If I go to Florida, I want to get a Piña Colada.' Then Benita said, 'One for each hand.'"
He added that he was strumming on a guitar during their exchange, and began singing, "'Bring me two Piña Coladas, one for each hand.' The chorus happened right there and in 20 minutes we went back in the room and wrote the song."
Hill told The Tennessean that she originally thought Jimmy Buffett would want to record the song. However, after a meeting with Brooks' producer, Alan Reynolds, its future was cemented.
"Sandy Mason ran into Alan, and he said, 'Let me hear your new song.' So she played it, and he said, 'Let me hear that again,'" Hill explained.
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"So she played it again, and he goes, 'I think I'm going to play that for Garth,'" Hill said. "When she came back and told me, I was kind of dumbfounded because I didn't think that would be anything that Garth would do, but he did, and I'm so glad."
Brooks released a live version of "Two Piña Coladas" on his Double Live album.
Garth Brooks is scheduled to perform on June 16 and 17, 2026, in Milwaukee, WI, at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater (Summerfest). Following is a headline stop on June 27, 2026, in London, at Hyde Park.
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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 4:54 AM.