"Y.M.C.A." is a song by American disco group Village People, written by Jacques Morali and singer Victor Willis and released in October 1978 as the only single from their third studio album, Cruisin' (1978). A medley with "Hot Cop" reached No. 2 on Billboard's Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart, while the song reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in early 1979, placing behind both "Le Freak" by Chic and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" by Rod Stewart. Outside the US, "Y.M.C.A." reached No. 1 in the UK around the same time, becoming the group's biggest hit. It has sold 12 million copies worldwide.
Henri Belolo was a French music producer and songwriter active during the disco era.
Jacques Morali was a French disco and dance music record producer and songwriter, known for creating acts like The Ritchie Family and Village People.
Felipe Ortiz Rose is an American musician who was an original member of the disco group the Village People. While in the group, he performed as "The Indian", usually wearing a costume consisting of an imitation, "bespangled war bonnet", loincloth, and theatrical face paint. Rose was a member of the group from 1977 until 2017, when the name of the group was turned over to the original lead singer, Victor Willis. Rose subsequently launched a solo career and released the single "Going Back to My Roots" in 2018.
The Ritchie Family are an American vocal group based in Philadelphia that achieved several hits during the disco era. They have reunited and continue to perform. Their latest single "Whatcha Got" was released in 2021.
Can't Stop the Music is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by Nancy Walker. Written by Allan Carr and Bronté Woodard, the film is a pseudo-biography of the 1970s disco group the Village People loosely based on the actual story of how the group formed. Valerie Perrine, Caitlyn Jenner and Steve Guttenberg co-star.
Victor Edward Willis is an American singer, songwriter and the founding member of the disco group Village People. He performed as their lead singer and was co-songwriter for all of their most successful singles. In the group, he performed costumed as a policeman or a naval officer.
Macho Man is the second studio album by Village People, released on February 27, 1978. The album gained success due to its hit singles, "Macho Man" and "Key West". Rolling Stone said of the album, "It seems certain to become the first out-and-out disco album without John Travolta on its cover ever to be certified platinum".
Live and Sleazy is the first live album and fifth studio album by the Village People and features a mixture of live and studio recordings. It was released as a double LP. The album featured numerous lead singers: original cop Victor Willis on the entire "Live" disk; on the "Sleazy" disk, construction worker David Hodo on track 1, Ray Simpson on tracks 2, 3, and 5, and G.I. Alex Briley on track 4. Horace Ott is credited as the arranger and conductor of the string and horn sections. The musicians were credited as Bittersweet.
Fox on the Box is the eighth studio album by Village People, released in 1982. It is the group's only album to not be released in the US, the UK or France. It was released in Australia on RCA Records, in South America, and in Germany, Scandinavia and Spain. In Japan, the album was released by Casablanca Records. The album sold poorly and failed to chart anywhere.
Break Machine was an American rap act, fronted by Keith Rodgers and produced by Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo, the team behind the Village People.
"San Francisco (You've Got Me)" is the debut single by the American disco group Village People. It was released in 1977 as the lead single from their self-titled debut studio album. The song reached number fifteen on the Australian Kent Music Report and peaked at number two on the U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.
The Best of Village People is a compilation album by American disco group Village People, released by Casablanca Records in 1994. AllMusic critic Steve Huey calls it "the clear-cut choice for disco and camp fanatics who want a detailed portrait of the group's career."
"I Am What I Am" is a song written by Victor Willis, Henri Belolo, Peter Whitehead and Jacques Morali that was first released by the Village People on their 1978 album Macho Man. It was also released as a single with "Key West" as the b-side in some countries including Germany and the UK. It did not chart in those countries, but it reached #4 on the Billboard Dance Chart in a medley with "Key West" and "Macho Man". It has since been released on several Village People greatest hits compilation albums. It was also included on the soundtrack for the 1978 film Thank God It's Friday.
Village People is an American disco group known for its on-stage costumes and suggestive lyrics in their music. The group was originally formed by French producers Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo and lead singer Victor Willis following the release of the debut album Village People, which targeted disco's large gay audience. The group's name refers to Manhattan's Greenwich Village, with its reputation as a gay neighborhood. The characters were a symbolic group of American masculinity and macho gay-fantasy personas. To date, Willis is the only original member still remaining with the group.
Brazil is the debut studio album recorded by American female vocal trio The Ritchie Family, released in 1975 on the 20th Century label.
Life Is Music is the third studio album recorded by American female vocal trio The Ritchie Family, released in 1977 on the Marlin label.
African Queens is the fourth studio album recorded by American female vocal trio The Ritchie Family, released in 1977 on the Marlin label.
Let Me Entertain You is a studio album by French singer Amanda Lear, released in May 2016 by the independent label Boomlover.
Phil Hurtt is a musician, singer, songwriter and arranger who has written hits for The Detroit Spinners, The Ritchie Family and many others. His compositions have been recorded by many artists and he has worked as an arranger on recordings by well-known artists in the Soul genre.
