For today's A Madman Turns 40, I'm looking at a cultural icon or icons (if you want to get technical about it)- the Village People. But before I look at the Disco group, a little back story as to why I choose to focus on them today...
Yesterday, I was working my part-time job as a security guard. My gig for the day was to guard a tunnel entrance at a pop culture convention. I thought it was going to be a dull job but I ended up meeting several celebrities.
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| I cannot confirm or deny that I worked this event yesterday... |
One of those I meet was Randy Jones. Randy was the Cowboy in the Village people when they broke onto the music scene in 1977 (there's that year again...) Anyways, Randy was born in Raleigh where the Con was held. I recognized him and said hi by name and he actually stopped and chatted with me for several minutes. Turns out we were both born at Old Rex Hospital. So being a little star struck to meet a pop culture icon that got his start the year I was born, I decided to devote today's post to the Village People.
The Village People came to be when an aspiring singer named Victor Willis submitted a demo tape to producer and composer Jacques Morali. Morali saw great potential in Willis and decided to form a disco group around him.
The first album debuted in July of '77. The first album was basically Willis singing to a house band. The self titled album was a hit in clubs. Demand for public appearances led to Morali hastily throwing a group of backup singers/dancers together. After a very successful appearance on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, Morali decided to recruit a full time lineup for the Village People.
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| The 1977 Debut Album. The people on the cover actually had nothing to do with the music except Willis on the bottom left. |
The name Village People was based after the Greenwich Village region of New York. The neighborhood was known for its large gay community at the time. So Morali had each member of the band dress as a different homosexual stereotype. Randy Jones was the official selection for the Cowboy character. Other characters added to the group were an Indian, a construction worker, a cop, a biker, and a military member of either the Army or Navy (this character frequently changes back and forth from either branch.)
Over the course of 1977-1980, the Village People produced a number of hits including Macho Man, San Francisco and their most famous tune, YMCA. You can't go a single day of the year without YMCA being played at some sporting event. I've personally witnessed the song played at several baseball games, hockey matches, and a WrestleMania type venue.
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| The Village People performing their iconic YMCA dance. |
The Village People are also known for the song In the Navy. That song has particular meaning for my family. My sister in law has a reputation of dating 3 different men who upon breaking up with her immediately went to the the Naval service. We call her the Navy's top recruiter and will sometimes play In the Navy as a joke at her expense.
Well that's my look at my birth year for today. It was really cool to meet a 1977 icon. It almost felt meant to be as a sort of happening during this year long celebration of this self-propelled Madman's birthday.
Until next time...
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