An unappreciated classic

This is the classic album that gave The Village People their start. It is every bit as essential to mainstream dance music (of the "disco" era) as Donna Summer's Four Seasons Of Love, The Silver Convention's Save Me, or Musique's Keep On Jumpin'. The lead cut on the album, "San Francisco," did very well on the dance chart and made some pop/R&B inroads for the guys. "San Francisco" had an infectious beat, with emphasis on the congas. The lyrics spoke of freedom of expression, overcoming inhibitions, and the thrill of violence. Considering the year was 1977, the power of the song really came across. It was coupled with "In Hollywood," comprising side 1 of the lp. "In Hollywood" was a comical look at stardom, with the hero changing his name, overspending, going to any length to LOOK the part, and
even phoning the hotel to have himself paged! It's one of the funniest songs you've ever heard. The two songs were segued into each other, so in the era before mixing came into vogue, a disc
jockey could keep the floor packed for 10 minutes straight. Side 2 featured "Fire Island," a song celebrating the freedom to be found in alternative lifestyles (but with the explicit warning: "Don't Go In The Bushes"!). The last cut on the album, "Village People," was a call to all those hiding in the closet, to come on out. The lyrics make this very clear: Village People... We know who we are... Follow your star... Your fight is mine... Fight for the right (and do it while it's daylight), etc. The thumping, simmering Native American beat gives the song the feel of someting spiritual (as in a rain dance). Linking the songs together, breathing life into them (and adding a lot of soul) is the voice of Victor Willis. His gruff, raspy shouts remind one of Dennis Edwards or Edwin Starr or Eddie Levert. He took over the lyric writing with the next album (Macho Man), but even as sales of their records went through the roof ("Y.M.C.A.", "In The Navy"), the anti-disco backlash was already starting to catch up to The Village People. By the time "In The Navy" peaked at #3 pop, a whole lot of people were tired of their sound. It didn't help the group's fortunes any when Willis quit the group shortly thereafter. Without Victor's lyrics or voice, the crash came quickly for The Village People, and it was both loud and unappealing. Looking back, you have to go to the root; this album, to find something worth listening to today. The words said a whole lot, and the beat moved many feet.