THE GUILTY BUTLER CLICHÉ

I admire Barry Manilow for being the only musician, so far as I am aware, to create a mystery thriller in a pop song.

Some genres are ideally suited to a specific facet of the media. It's tough, for example, to do 24 hour rolling news in a monthly magazine. Mathematics textbooks don't translate very well to the silver screen. And, on the overwhelming majority of evidence, crime thrillers do not, repeat, do not work as pop songs.

But - somehow - Barry Manilow managed to conquer this apparently insurmountable mountain. Because at the Copacabana, where music and passion was always in fashion, we are offered that tantalising second verse cliff-hanger...

"There was blood and a single gunshot but just who shot who?"

And, in a continued display of genius, Barry did the whole thing to a good beat.

Diamond-wearing Rico was sentenced to 20 years for shooting Tony but was paroled after twelve years having been a model prisoner. He is now retired and living in the New York City Rhythm with Mandy.