Y.M.C.A.

"Y.M.C.A."
Single by Village People
from the album Cruisin'
Released	1978
Format	7", 12"
Recorded	Sigma Sound Studios, New York City; 1978
Genre	Disco, Rhythm & Blues
Length	4:48
Label	Casablanca Records
Writer(s)	Henri Belolo, Jacques Morali, Victor Willis
Producer	Jacques Morali
Village People singles chronology

"Y.M.C.A." is a 1978 song by Village People which became a hit in January 1979. The song reached #2 on the U.S. charts in early 1979 and reached No.1 in the UK around the same time, becoming the group's biggest hit ever. Taking the song at face value, its lyrics extol the virtues of the Young Men's Christian Association. In the gay culture from which the group sprang, the song was implicitly understood as celebrating the YMCA's reputation as a popular cruising and hookup spot, particularly for the younger gay men to whom it was addressed.^[1] However, Victor Willis, Village People lead singer of the song, as well as writer of the lyrics, has clarified the record and insist that he did not write YMCA as a gay anthem (Willis was one of the few members of the group that was straight). Rather, Willis said he wrote YMCA as a reflection of young urban black youth's fun at the YMCA such as basketball and swimming, etc. That said, Willis has also acknowledged his knack for double entendre writings. Interestingly, Willis also revealed that he wrote the song in Vancouver British Columbia.^[2]

In any event, the song continues to remain popular and is played at almost every sports event in the USA. It is frequently played during breaks in the action at sporting events with crowds using the dance as an opportunity to stretch.^[3] Moreover, the song also remains particularly popular due to its status as a disco classic and gay anthem, even among listeners who are otherwise uninvolved in disco or gay culture. It is also known to be a favorite in school dances. A popular dance in which the arms are used to spell out the four letters of the song's title may have much to do with this. "Y.M.C.A." is number 7 on VH1's list of The 100 Greatest Dance Songs of the 20th Century.

The song as well as the YMCA dance is so important to Victor Willis that he has become increasingly protective of it. In fact, on New Year's Eve 2008, when the Village People performed the song at El Paso's 75th Sun Bowl's Brut Bowl half-time show to break the world record of the most people doing the Y.M.C.A. at once, Victor Willis sued the Sun Bowl Association as well as the replacement-group under license to call themselves Village People.^[4] El Pasoans broke the record with more than 45,000 people doing the dance, beating the former record of 13,000 people.

Composition[]

Key signature: F major (B flat)
Tempo: 95 beats per minute (bpm)
Featured instruments: Woodwind and brass, percussion and strings

Lyrics[]

Young man
There's no need to feel down
I said young man
Pick yourself off the ground

I said young man
'Cause you're in a new town
There's no need to be unhappy

Young man
There's a place you can go
I said young man
When you're short on your dough

You can stay there
And I'm sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time