Village People

The Village People formed in New York City, United States in 1977 and are often considered the brainchild of French dance producer/songwriter, Jacques Morali. Morali started his music career directing orchestras in Paris, but became enveloped by the 70s dance scene. During this time he organized and nurtured dance groups such as the Richie Family, but did not hit mainstream success until he founded the Village People.

Morali purportedly conjured the idea of the Village People in a dream and stemming from this idea enlisted singer/actor Victor Willis as the group’s leading man. He then acquired a compelling lineup of dancers to accompany Willis and sent the band out to play various clubs in New York. In addition to Willis the core group consisted of Felipe Rose (Native American persona), Alex Briley (soldier persona), Mark Mussler (construction worker persona), Dave Forrest (cowboy persona and Lee Mouton (leatherman persona).

Though the Village People’s sound referenced acts like the Bee Gees and the 5th Dimension, their style was incomparable. Named after New York’s Greenwich Village (a location recognized for its gay community) the group was one of the first to flash homosexual personas in the face of the mainstream. Their vision was so tenacious and their sound so instantly catchy that they became one of the biggest pop surprises to arise from the late 70s. The Village People’s self-titled studio debut came out in full colors in 1977 and though it only clocked in at 22 minutes in length it was a hit success, featuring the chart climbing single “San Francisco (You’ve Got Me)”.

Their 1st album was written primarily by Phil Hurtt and Peter Whitehead; however, Willis would later assume the role as principal songwriter for the group’s proceeding releases. “Macho Man” and “Cruisin’” were both released in 1978 and included some of the band’s biggest hits: “Macho Man”, “I Am What I Am”, “Key West”, “Hot Cop”, and “Y.M.C.A.”. “Macho Man” went triple platinum in Canada and Platinum in the US while “Cruisin’” went Platinum 4 times over in Canada, Gold in Germany, and Platinum in the US. The single Y.M.C.A. hit no. 2 on the US charts and no.1 in the UK and has since sold over 10 million copies, making it one of only a few singles to have done so. The song has been crystalized as a gay anthem, but has nevertheless extended beyond gay culture into the mainstream.

Their next album “Go West” was also a hit in the US as it was also overseas. It sported the paramount single “In the Navy” as well as the title track which was later revived by the Pet Shop Boys for their 1993 masterpiece “Very”. The Village People” concluded the 70s with their 5th studio album “Live and Sleazy”. This release was comprised of both live and studio recordings and proved to be a major success in Canada and the US.

The group’s popularity started to taper off in the 80s (this in large part was stimulated by Willis’ departure); however, their albums “Can’t Stop the Music” and “Renaissance” managed to make it into the US Billboard Album charts.

The Village People abandoned their disco sound on “Renaissance” and adopted a new wave approach. This unfortunately alienated many of their fans and likewise received mix reviews from critics. Victor Willis re-entered the group in time for the Village People’s release of “Fox on the Box/In the Street”, but was later replaced by Ray Stephens for their 1985 album “Sex Over the Phone”. The Village People went on hiatus after this release, but reformed for several concerts in 1987. Though the group has not released any new material under the name Village People, they have toured throughout the 90s and 2000s.