Village People – YMCA

“Y.M.C.A.” – Single by Village People from the album Cruisin’
B-side: “The Women”
Released: October 17, 1978
Recorded: 1978
Studio: Sigma Sound, New York City
Label: Casablanca
Songwriters: Jacques Morali, Victor Willis, Henri Belolo
Producer: Jacques Morali
Charted No.2 in US and No.1 in UK

Y.M.C.A. stands for “Young Men’s Christian Association,” commonly associated with the gyms that often provide temporary housing to men. The Village People sing about the YMCA as a place where you can hang out with all the boys. Many listeners interpreted this as a place to gather in-the-closet young gay men so they can leave their worries and troubles behind and let loose. Even though the lyrics don’t contain any specific gay references, the song took hold in the gay community.

In 1977, producers Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo assembled a group designed to attract gay audiences while parodying (some claimed exploiting) that same constituency’s stereotypes. Songwriters Phil Hurtt and Peter Whitehead were tapped to compose songs with gay underpinnings. Roles and costumes were carefully selected; among them were a cowboy, biker, soldier, policeman, and construction worker complete with hard hat.

The songwriting credit on “Y.M.C.A” goes to Morali, Belolo and Victor Willis, who was the policeman in the group.

The accompanying music video for “Y.M.C.A.”, filmed in New York City in July 1978, features the band singing the song and dancing all over the city. The location shown the most is the original site of YMCA, McBurney, 213 West 23rd Street. Other filming locations included 395 West Street – site of the Ramrod gay club – the West Side Piers and Hudson River Park. It ends with the camera zooming in on the Empire State Building.

℗ & © 1978 Can’t Stop Productions NYC

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.

It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.

They have everything for young men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys…

It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.

You can get yourself clean, you can have a good meal,
You can do whatever you feel…

Young man, are you listening to me?
I said, young man, what do you wanna be?
I said, young man, you can make real your dreams.
But you got to know this one thing!

No man does it all by himself.
I said, young man, put your pride on the shelf,
And just go there, to the Y.M.C.A.
I’m sure they can help you today.

It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.

They have everything for young men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys…

It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.

You can get yourself clean, you can have a good meal,
You can do whatever you feel…

Young man, I was once in your shoes.
I said, I was down and out with the blues.
I felt no man cared if I were alive.
I felt the whole world was so jive…

That’s when someone came up to me,
And said, “Young man, take a walk up the street.
There’s a place there called the ‘Y.M.C.A.’
They can start you back on your way.”

It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.

They have everything for young men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys…

Y.M.C.A.
It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.

Young man, young man, there’s no need to feel down.
Young man, young man, get yourself off the ground.

Y.M.C.A.
It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.

Young man, are you listening to me?
Young man, young man, what do you wanna be?

Y.M.C.A.
You’ll find it at the Y.M.C.A.

No man, young man, does it all by himself.
Young man, young man, put your pride on the shelf,

Y.M.C.A.
And just go to the Y.M.C.A.

Young man, young man, I was once in your shoes.
Young man, young man, I was down with the blues.

Y.M.C.A.
It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.