Macho Man

Performer: Village People
Engineer: J. Morail
Producer: Henri Belolo
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Lyricist: Victor Willis. Personnel: Victor Willis (vocals); Nathanial Wilkie (guitar, Clavinet); Rodger Lee, Jimmy Lee (guitar); Russell Dabney (drums); Errol Bennett (congas); Felipe Rose, Peter Whitehead, Phil Kraus (percussion). Assembled by French producer Jacques Morali, who also struck gold with the outrageous Ritchie Family, the Village People took high camp and good spirits even farther over the top with their overtly gay-oriented disco. Masters of exploitation or attraction was always the debate as the band cruised through songs that were immediate club staples during the late '70s. But despite the inevitable, and often ridiculous controversies, what is important is that this band, no matter how plastic fantastic or politically incorrect they may have appeared, still turned in some classic performances. The sextet, fronted by the talented vocalist Victor Willis, had already made a splash on the disco scene with their self-titled 1977 debut. With that LP clocking in under 30 minutes, Morali ensured that there was still room for more. One of two Village People albums to appear in 1978, Macho Man hit the stores in the spring to immediate success. A punchy, driving disco flanked by Willis' funk vocals marks the consistent keynote of this LP -- one that was all but crushed under the dominance of "Macho Man." And OK, the costume party image was the gimmick, it was the distracting fascination that brought the band so much attention. But there are interesting moments buried here as well. "I Am What I Am" may not have been subtle, but it certainly was a well-constructed slab of groove. And as for the gospel-tinged "Sodom and Gomorrah," there's a good reason why it was buried at the end of the album. Also of note, for the preservation of history, is the throwaway "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody" medley. This particular coupling was devised by Louis Prima in 1956 and, of course, the classic 1985 rendering by a top-hatted and be-suited David Lee Roth is now nearly a camp classic. In terms of hot pop shenanigans, however, the lesson here is that the Village People did it first. ~ Amy Hanson

In 1977, French record producer Jacques Morali (Ritchie Family) dreamed of creating a fun, campy disco group who would both mock and celebrate gay stereotypes in a way that would be palatable for the public at large. The result was the famous lineup of characters in the Village People: the cop, the cowboy, the "Indian Chief," the construction worker, the military man, and the biker. During the late '70s, the group had three smash hits and a few lesser ones that, taken as a whole, are the quintessential representation of the brief, fiery conflagration that was disco. Although the band's popularity tanked as the disco era crashed and burned, their hits live on. There is still no faster way to fill a dance floor than by cranking "Y.M.C.A." and watching the limbs flail.

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