Y.M.C.A. – Village People | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning

Chart Performance: Pop (#2 for 3 weeks), 1979; R&B(#32)

Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne

With their campy costumes and catchy songs and tongue-in-cheek persona, the Village (as in Greenwich)People became one of the most enduring images of the disco era. Their story began when producer Jacques Morali purposefully set out to create a group designed to attract gay fans. Roles were carefully chosen and songs with gay undercurrents composed. The single San Francisco (You’ve Got Me) sold respectably in England, then Macho Man charted in the U.S. Y.M.C.A. followed, hitting #1 in Britain and #2 in America. Three of their albums sold over a million copies. Then the Village People stepped on a career landmine by starring in Can’t Stop The Music, a movie so breathtakingly awful that it drove the final nails into disco’s coffin. Only Y.M.C.A., with its trademark arm moves courtesy of American Bandstand‘s audience, saved the Village People from cultural oblivion.

This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2023 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.

Produced by:

• Jacques Morali

Lyrics Written by:

• Jacques Morali
• Victor Willis

Awards:

• Won Grammy Hall of Fame Award (2020)
• Won FNS Music Festival Grand Prix (1979)
• Won Japan Music Awards (10th) (1979)
• Nominated for American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Single (1979)
• Nominated for Juno Award for International Single of the Year (1994)
• Top 40 Weekly Top Songs of the 70s Chart Position: #6