Village People (album)

Village People is the self-titled debut album by Village People, released on July 11, 1977. Its hit song "San Francisco (You've Got Me)" reached the top 50 in the UK, peaking at #45.

Village People
Studio album by
Village People
ReleasedJuly 11, 1977
GenreDisco
Length22:16
LabelCasablanca
ProducerJacques Morali
Village People chronology
Village People
(1977)		 Macho Man
(1978)
German cover
Original German issue, titled
"San Francisco (You've Got Me)"[2]
Singles from Village People
  1. "San Francisco (You've Got Me)"
    Released: 1977
  2. "Village People"
    Released: 1977
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]

History

Village People was the creation of Jacques Morali, a French composer. He had written a few dance tunes when he was given a demo tape recorded by singer/actor Victor Willis. Morali approached Willis and told him, "I had a dream that you sang lead on my album and it went very, very big". Willis agreed.[4]

The album was a success, and demand for live appearances soon followed. Morali, his business partner Henri Belolo (under the collaboration Can't Stop Productions) and Willis hastily built a group of dancers to perform with Willis in clubs and on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. As Village People's popularity grew, Morali, Belolo and Willis saw the need for a permanent 'group.' They took out an ad in a music trade magazine which read: "Macho Types Wanted: Must Dance And Have A Moustache."[4]

Although the composers were French, the lyrics were all in English as Morali and Belolo used American lyricists. On the first album, they brought in songwriters Phil Hurtt and the aforementioned Peter Whitehead.

The band's name references New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood, at the time known for having a substantial gay population.[5] Morali and Belolo got the inspiration for creating an assembly of American man archetypes based on the gay men of The Village who frequently dressed in various fantasy attire.

Track listing
  • All songs written by Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo, Paul Whitehead an Phil Hurtt, except track 2 (Morali, Belolo, Hurtt).
No.TitleLength
1."San Francisco (You've Got Me)"5:19
2."In Hollywood (Everybody Is a Star)"5:27
3."Fire Island"5:49
4."Village People"5:41
Total length:22:16

Personnel
  • Victor Willis: Vocals
  • Rodger Lee: Rhythm Guitar
  • Jimmy Lee: Lead Guitar
  • Nathaniel "Crockett" Wilke: Clavinet and Fender Rhodes
  • Alfonso Carey: Bass
  • Anthony Robinson, Charles Payne: Congas
  • Mario P. Grillo: Timbales
  • George Deavins: Triangle
  • William Penelli, Ron "The Anvil" Nickolson: Tambourine
  • Russell Delaney: Drums
  • Vocals arranged by Jacques Morali and Phil Hurtt
  • Strings and horns arranged and conducted by Horace Ott
  • Rhythm and percussion arrangements by Jacques Morali

Production
  • Executive Producer: Henri Belolo
  • Produced by Jacques Morali for Can't Stop Production Inc.
  • Recorded and mixed by Gerald Block; assistant engineer: J.D. Stewart
  • All songs published by Can't Stop Music.

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[11] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[12] Platinum 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[13] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Original German issue, titled "San Francisco (You've Got Me) Discogs.com. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  2. Original German issue, titled "San Francisco (You've Got Me) Discogs.com. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  3. Hamilton, Andrew. "The Village People – Village People (AllMusic revie)". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  4. "Village People", Rolling Stone Magazine Vol. 289, April 19, 1979.
  5. Martha K. Baker. "KDHX Film Review - Gay Sex in the 70s". KDHX. Double Helix Corporation. Archived from the original on December 20, 2008. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 330. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 29, No. 8, May 20 1978". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  8. "Oricon Archive - Village People".
  9. "Swedishcharts.com – Village People – Village People". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  10. "The Village People – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  11. "Morali Wins Aussie Awards" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. 40 no. 36. January 20, 1979. p. 30. Retrieved September 8, 2020 – via World Radio History.
  12. "Canadian album certifications – Village People – Village People". Music Canada.
  13. "American album certifications – Village People – Village People". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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