Exactly. I don’t trust someone who DOESN’T like the Village People.
I mean you’re basically saying you hate fun. Who wants to be around someone like that???
In the 90s my elementary school gym teacher certainly was a fan. Along with playing plenty of Queen ("We will rock you" etc), he def provided us students a sampling of good music lol
Honestly they caught hell back in the day for being emblematic of the worst parts of Disco.
But these days, with hindsight. They're just fun and talented. One of very few groups from that entire scene that still comes up. And almost nothing negative about them.
't ain't Shakespeare. But don't see many people hating on it these days.
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.
Body (body), wanna feel my body (wanna feel my body)
Body (baby), such a thrill, my body (such a thrill, my body)
Body (yeh yeh), wanna touch my body (wanna touch my body)
Body (baby), it's too much, my body (it's too much, my body)
Body (yeh yeh), check it out, my body (check it out, my body)
Body (baby), don't you doubt, my body (don't you doubt, my body)
Body (yeh yeh), talking about my body (talking about my body)
Body (well), checking out my body (listen here)
I was pretty young when they were popular and I had no idea if any of them were gay, or that gay people liked them. I don't really recall adults finding them offensive either.
I was a kid. I thought they were just a bunch of fun guys, in fun costumes, singing fun music.
Now I’m old. I know what was going on. They were a bunch of fun guys, in fun costumes, making fun music.
I legit had no idea that they were gay until I was like 15.
Nobody told me. Not that it really matters...
I also had no idea how prevalent homosexuality was in disco music.
A friend of mine and I went to go see them at Trax in Washington DC around 87 or so. They were doing a free show there and we were bored.
We went to see who would show up and make fun of the whole thing. We ended up having a great time. It was really fun! We came in as ironic hipsters and left as Village People fans.
The fact that Rob Halford create his look from one of these guys is legendary. As a kid I thought they were great. As an adult YMCA is still fun. Who cares about the rest.
Wife and I were on a cruise and she got very drunk. We walked onto another bar with YMCA on. She got so excited she slipped and fell on the floor just as the chorus was about to play. She didn't have time to get up to do the Y-M-C-A with her hands like everyone else so she stayed on the floor and did it with her legs. Fortunately, she was wearing pants. It was epic. I have pics.
Fuck, yes and not for the songs that are on the radio either. Not that I don’t like those, but “Magic Night “is my favorite… It was in the movie “Can’t Stop the music “and they also performed it on “Love Boat “. Mock me if you will. That song is a banger.
https://youtu.be/k4LEVqVKMgs?si=goMny5RNC7x2G2ky
*Can’t Stop the Music* had some good songs on its soundtrack. Cheesy as it is, my favorite off that album is “I Love You to Death.”
But the most “un-Village People” song I know is “[5 O’Clock in the morning](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kkpZQL0kR6k)
,” off *Renaissance.* Good song, but turning them into New Romantic artists was criminal.
Did not like them when they first hit the scene, but I was definitely a "Death before Disco!" guy. Two things changed: I started playing bass that same year and as I got older, really liked learning all of those older disco bass lines and the good news is I rediscovered a lot of music that I dismissed at the time because it was disco music.
i saw a cool interview with the indian guy about how these guys started (i really had no idea.)
he used to dress up in the indian outfit and danced at studio 54 (just on his own accord.)
one day a guy came up and said to him that they were putting a musical group together with other stereo-typed characters, etc. he thought it was the dumbest thing he had ever heard but was willing to give it a go for shits & grins. little did he know how famous they would become.
i *hated* these guys when i was a kid -didn't go for disco at all. they made some cash and they had fun so; not knocking it today lol.
Disco was prevalent at every school dance and on most of the radio stations outside of classic rock as we were growing up.
When songs came on like Macho Man and YMCA we cheered. Like them or not they were a big deal back in the day.
Fun fact: The US Navy hired these guys to do a recruitment video. The Village People aggreed on the condition of being able to film on an actual battleship. The commercial was later dropped. These men were literally too gay for a boat full of seamen.
Okay, I have to ask, which of the characters in the group ( Native American, Construction worker etc.) did you most identify with?
For me, it was the Construction worker.
IN THE NAVY!
Yes, you can sail the seven seas!
IN THE NAVY!
Yes, you can shoot Vietnamese!
IN THE NAVY!
Yes, you can catch a new disease!
IN THE NAVY!
IN THE NAVY!
When my wife's favorite cousin, at the time a Junior naval officer, was married, the DJ at the reception played "In The Navy". EVERY UNIFORMED MEMBER was on the dance floor!
And this was before most were drunk!! LOL
Listen to their music like? Hell yeah, even though an oversized 80's head phones! Like'em enough to date'em, the cowboy's kinda cute... Wait, scratch that. I'm thinking Buckaroo Banzai... " Don't pull on that, you don't know what it's attached to". Damn I miss the 80's
Kinda unashamedly enjoyed their stuff.
Absolutely silly but so much fun - just go look up their song "Sex Over the Phone" and try asking a friend to watch it with a straight face or without singing along...It's fucking impossible.
I liked them. When I was 8. Their album Go West was released in '79 and since my dad was in the Navy at the time, In the Navy was a popular track in the house.
When I was in high school back in the 70s, I know a lot of my friends would wear disco sucks t shirts. But when you go to their house, they would be playing disco records, including the village people. They would always say it was their sisters album.
Their lyrics might be insane, but if you ignore the lyrics (if you don't like them) and listen, the songs have great music and these guys have great voices.
While the outfits were crazy and the song is made into a parody, the lyrics are kinda profound and to help wayword young men maybe find something to do to stay out of trouble in inner cities
I feel like a lot of people have been misled by homophobes to think that they aren’t awesome? Maybe I’m off base but they were doing their thing when being gay wasn’t necessarily an “okay” thing. These guys were trailblazers in the fight to become more aware.
When I was a kid I asked my mom if they were gay and she was like "yes! they're so gay! so happy!" and I was like yeah! happy! fun guys dressed up! singing and dancing! I genuinely believed this until like... last year.
my mom also sang "the lumberjack song" to me as a lullaby so.
"In the Navy" was featured heavily in the movie "Down Periscope', and I love that movie. Other than that song and YMCA I don't know much of their other work if it exists.
When I was 5 my mother bought me and my two brothers a cd for Christmas.
They got Ace of Base and Tony, Toni Tonee. She got me the Villahe People's greatest hits.
My brother's razzed that mom deemed me the gay one.
To be honest.. to the stoner under 21 crowd, they were as uncool as you could get 79-85. Just 100% thumbs down.. the music sucked REALLY BAD, commercialized crap.
I liked the Village People at the same time I liked KISS (age 9 or so). Both bands had kind of superhero-squad formats, and the queer overtones of both that I appreciate so much now we're totally lost on me then.
Music is music. Some are affected in different ways. Most of us would smile and sing along. Others downgrade you and smile and sing it when they are by themselves.
Bruh they convinced the navy to let them us a aircraft carrier in amusic video (presumably the seaman who signed off on this was unfamiliar with the bands work and thought it would help bump up recruitment). Either way the navy now denies they ever allowed them to use a aircraft carrier but like you can find the music video on YouTube with a bunch of US seaman dancing as extras in the background.
One of them retired to my town and is well known around the local bar/restaurant community as a character who makes dramatic scenes at times but is very nice to the staff....
I went to see a local artist perform last week only to find the show sold out and he was in line in front of me and gave me his extra ticket because he recognized me from work. I was pretty flattered a celebrity recognized ME lol.
One of my favorite exchanges from You Can't Stop The Music (1980), a fictional account of their rise to fame:
(Right before their big show)
Leather Dude: Leathermen don't get nervous. Leathermen don't get nervous.
Soldier: oh yes they do, yes they do
“The Village” (a small section of New York) which started in the 60’s. It was an area where LGBTQ could try to be themselves at a time when it was literally illegal and a crime to show any affection for the same sex. Horrible times, but the people rose up against it, reference “The Stonewall Riots”… The Stonewall was a gay bar owned by the mob back then, and the only place most could go without fear of being arrested simply for dancing together.
The Stonewall Riot was the first major uprising and truly began the movement when the police raided it one night, and thousands of protesters stood outside and fought for their freedoms.
This is the basis, The Village, of where this band The Village People got their name.
Do people exist who don’t like these guys? Macho Man alone gives them infinite goodwill.
The YMCA : D
Skating to YMCA is my childhood.
Precisely but in my twenties
I was going to say “liked” or “were fans of”. I never had an album, but know every beat to more than one of their songs.
How much time DID you spend at the skating rink?
The Disco for me but the tunes were awesome!
Oh yeah, Skate City in Louisiana for me!
Exactly. I don’t trust someone who DOESN’T like the Village People. I mean you’re basically saying you hate fun. Who wants to be around someone like that???
In the 90s my elementary school gym teacher certainly was a fan. Along with playing plenty of Queen ("We will rock you" etc), he def provided us students a sampling of good music lol
In the Navy you can sail the seven seas.
In the Navy, you can bring men to their knees.
In the Navy., just say please, please, please, please, please.
Macho man is a banger
Can’t hear it without also hearing Eddie Murphy shouting “I’m a pony! I’m a pony!”
So is the music vid
I watched this on the release and had no idea about anything other than this was fun and the music was great
Honestly they caught hell back in the day for being emblematic of the worst parts of Disco. But these days, with hindsight. They're just fun and talented. One of very few groups from that entire scene that still comes up. And almost nothing negative about them. 't ain't Shakespeare. But don't see many people hating on it these days.
I was thinking the same thing. Does anybody not like them?
The in the navy video at the end of down periscope is gold and I'll smack anybody that says different.
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.
Y-M-C-A!!!!
there's no need to be un hap py
The second I saw this picture this song ran through my head
The only song that popped in my head
How can one not like?!
And now my local YMCA is nearly $100/month.
Body (body), wanna feel my body (wanna feel my body) Body (baby), such a thrill, my body (such a thrill, my body) Body (yeh yeh), wanna touch my body (wanna touch my body) Body (baby), it's too much, my body (it's too much, my body) Body (yeh yeh), check it out, my body (check it out, my body) Body (baby), don't you doubt, my body (don't you doubt, my body) Body (yeh yeh), talking about my body (talking about my body) Body (well), checking out my body (listen here)
Loved the fucking village people. Legit tried to go stay at the YMCA lol… I was six
homie just wanted to have a good time
I was pretty young when they were popular and I had no idea if any of them were gay, or that gay people liked them. I don't really recall adults finding them offensive either.
I always thought the YMCA was the just local sportsplex. I thought they were singing about how fun it was to go swimming or play basketball.
I was a kid. I thought they were just a bunch of fun guys, in fun costumes, singing fun music. Now I’m old. I know what was going on. They were a bunch of fun guys, in fun costumes, making fun music.
Well done, /u/Sea_Ganache620
This comment needs many more upvotes.
I legit had no idea that they were gay until I was like 15. Nobody told me. Not that it really matters... I also had no idea how prevalent homosexuality was in disco music.
A friend of mine and I went to go see them at Trax in Washington DC around 87 or so. They were doing a free show there and we were bored. We went to see who would show up and make fun of the whole thing. We ended up having a great time. It was really fun! We came in as ironic hipsters and left as Village People fans.
Never liked them…… LOVED them! Make the LOVE them.
WE WANT YOU AS A NEW RECRUIT! 
The fact that Rob Halford create his look from one of these guys is legendary. As a kid I thought they were great. As an adult YMCA is still fun. Who cares about the rest.
I think there were a lot of other gay leather underground references for ol’ Rob to draw on.
This.
Saw them live in concert with Gloria Gaynor.
At first were you alone and petrified?
Thinking I could live without you by my side.
Who doesn't like them?
Most of the right wing in America, of course. They don't have any problem with appropriating their music, mind you, they just hate gays.
They’re torn because they are also cops, construction workers, military…very macho men.
We're not about to validate the opinions of people who's approach to life is "fuck everyone who's not like me."
When it’s played at the pub. All of us elders do the ymca. The looks we get from the 20 year olds, rolling their eyes is hilarious.
The greatest trick Gay America ever played on Straight America
Complete with female groupies (seen it)
They were so obvious it was stealthy LOL
The Village People were gay?!?!??
Their music was time appropriate. People jumped on the dance floor when they heard YMCA.
Wife and I were on a cruise and she got very drunk. We walked onto another bar with YMCA on. She got so excited she slipped and fell on the floor just as the chorus was about to play. She didn't have time to get up to do the Y-M-C-A with her hands like everyone else so she stayed on the floor and did it with her legs. Fortunately, she was wearing pants. It was epic. I have pics.
Are you sharing the pics or just going to leave it to our imaginations??
I admit to dancing to Macho Man in '79.
I used to love when they would play at the roller rink.
People of all ages do the YMCA dance when it’s played at wedding receptions or ballgames. If we were all closet fans, we came out long ago.
Damn they were a fun group!
I like these guys and every gay cover band version of them. It’s a hilarious concept that really hasn’t been outdone since. Bravo to the Village!
As a Gay male of course I love them all! In the Navy; yow!
Fuck, yes and not for the songs that are on the radio either. Not that I don’t like those, but “Magic Night “is my favorite… It was in the movie “Can’t Stop the music “and they also performed it on “Love Boat “. Mock me if you will. That song is a banger. https://youtu.be/k4LEVqVKMgs?si=goMny5RNC7x2G2ky
*Can’t Stop the Music* had some good songs on its soundtrack. Cheesy as it is, my favorite off that album is “I Love You to Death.” But the most “un-Village People” song I know is “[5 O’Clock in the morning](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kkpZQL0kR6k) ,” off *Renaissance.* Good song, but turning them into New Romantic artists was criminal.
Everybody loves those guys
Still do.
I love them.
Absolutely loved these guys.
Did not like them when they first hit the scene, but I was definitely a "Death before Disco!" guy. Two things changed: I started playing bass that same year and as I got older, really liked learning all of those older disco bass lines and the good news is I rediscovered a lot of music that I dismissed at the time because it was disco music.
i saw a cool interview with the indian guy about how these guys started (i really had no idea.) he used to dress up in the indian outfit and danced at studio 54 (just on his own accord.) one day a guy came up and said to him that they were putting a musical group together with other stereo-typed characters, etc. he thought it was the dumbest thing he had ever heard but was willing to give it a go for shits & grins. little did he know how famous they would become. i *hated* these guys when i was a kid -didn't go for disco at all. they made some cash and they had fun so; not knocking it today lol.
Disco was prevalent at every school dance and on most of the radio stations outside of classic rock as we were growing up. When songs came on like Macho Man and YMCA we cheered. Like them or not they were a big deal back in the day.
They were the shit until homophobia took center stage.
[GorillagePeople](https://youtu.be/E8AQoefckPQ?si=kHjIkNKpb3w5317c)
They're the reason I joined the navy.
Fun fact: The US Navy hired these guys to do a recruitment video. The Village People aggreed on the condition of being able to film on an actual battleship. The commercial was later dropped. These men were literally too gay for a boat full of seamen.
Sure, and a bit of Judas Priest too
I roller skated many times to their music!
 Can’t see the leather guy without thinking of the Blue Oyster Bar scene.
Far from one hit wonders.
When I knew I was a big GAY. 💯💙🕺🕶️
Uh me
Look at the jawline on cowboy. My lord!
Can't stop the music was the greatest film of its time. My teenage self will fight you on that.
Was a punk rocker in those days and still am.
Hell yeah I did. Hard to be in a bad mood when Village People was playing.
I DO THEM AND ABBA
At work we all call the leatherman multi tool the “Glen Hughes”
Okay, I have to ask, which of the characters in the group ( Native American, Construction worker etc.) did you most identify with? For me, it was the Construction worker.
IN THE NAVY! Yes, you can sail the seven seas! IN THE NAVY! Yes, you can shoot Vietnamese! IN THE NAVY! Yes, you can catch a new disease! IN THE NAVY! IN THE NAVY!
they are living proof that I will dance to ANYTHING with a beat while inebriated.
When my wife's favorite cousin, at the time a Junior naval officer, was married, the DJ at the reception played "In The Navy". EVERY UNIFORMED MEMBER was on the dance floor! And this was before most were drunk!! LOL
Learned to dance to YMCA on roller skates.
I, too, was in the Navy.
I like their YMCA song
GOOOOOO WEEEEESSSSTTTTTT
Everyone still does. YYYYYYYMMMMMMCA!! YYYYYYYYYMCAAAAA!!
I liked them ? They were catchy. 73 year old straight male.
Who lies and says they DON'T like them?!?!
No one. Even homophobic trump plays their music at his cult meetings.
When Christopher did YMCA on America's Got Talent it was an instant hit!
Totally silly songs. Loved them.
I believe it was the hardhat guy that was later a disc jockey in Washington DC called the grease man
I loved them! Still do.
I did, in part because I saw what they were doing and laughed my ass off.
Saw them at Riot Fest a few years ago and they had a huge crowd. People of all sorts love The Village People.
First album I ever owned. I was too young to know what “gay” even was. I just liked the music.
Listen to their music like? Hell yeah, even though an oversized 80's head phones! Like'em enough to date'em, the cowboy's kinda cute... Wait, scratch that. I'm thinking Buckaroo Banzai... " Don't pull on that, you don't know what it's attached to". Damn I miss the 80's
Kinda unashamedly enjoyed their stuff. Absolutely silly but so much fun - just go look up their song "Sex Over the Phone" and try asking a friend to watch it with a straight face or without singing along...It's fucking impossible.
In the Navy, you can sail the seven seas...
Live and Sleazy was a great album
Once when I was in a piano recital with a few other kids (maybe 5th grade) they all chose classical pieces and I played "In the Navy"
Never forget one of the greatest movies ever CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC with Bruce Jenner in the tiniest shorts EVER
IN THE NAVYYYYY
I played In the Navy for my uncle Dino when he would come home on leave...
I love disco. Some amazing tunes came out of that short lived era.
Loved these guys!
I saw the picture and in my mind I could hear the start of YMCA.
Everyone in the Navy?
Everyone in The Navy!!!
I’m a deeply closeted fan of the Village People.
We used to go to a bar where every time YMCA was played, the bartenders would jump up on the bar and do the spelling part. Fun times…
Young man..
That Cowboy has a Big Gun! 😉
Why shouldn't i like them? We all still do that dance at the YMCA in the Aqua Fitness classes.
I liked them. When I was 8. Their album Go West was released in '79 and since my dad was in the Navy at the time, In the Navy was a popular track in the house.
Great music! 😀👍🏼
"Dares"? Must be a silly youngster that posted this! Everyone loves those dudes!
When I was in high school back in the 70s, I know a lot of my friends would wear disco sucks t shirts. But when you go to their house, they would be playing disco records, including the village people. They would always say it was their sisters album.
Their lyrics might be insane, but if you ignore the lyrics (if you don't like them) and listen, the songs have great music and these guys have great voices.
As soon as I saw the picture, 🎶YOUNG MAN🎶 was screaming in my brain!
Saw them live Army man instead of... Cop? Awesome show Danced my ass off Note: I'm a cis male that doesn't dance
Ummm, everyone.
In the navy, macho man, ymca. Killer tracks.
Me
Anytime an actual YMCA song comes on, who doesn’t get up to dance???
They were wonderful camp.
Love them “YMCA”
While the outfits were crazy and the song is made into a parody, the lyrics are kinda profound and to help wayword young men maybe find something to do to stay out of trouble in inner cities
I dare to say I loved them and I still do.
I liie ymca
My very first concert at age 7!
Still have them in my music list. Those are catchy easy to enjoy songs. I proudly admit I am still a fan
In the Navy.....
A
C
M
Y
Dude, straight white homophobes love these guys and know all the moves.
C'mon, they made some good tunes. Killing the YMCA at weddings..hahahaha!!
I feel like a lot of people have been misled by homophobes to think that they aren’t awesome? Maybe I’m off base but they were doing their thing when being gay wasn’t necessarily an “okay” thing. These guys were trailblazers in the fight to become more aware.
When I was a kid I asked my mom if they were gay and she was like "yes! they're so gay! so happy!" and I was like yeah! happy! fun guys dressed up! singing and dancing! I genuinely believed this until like... last year. my mom also sang "the lumberjack song" to me as a lullaby so.
I like them as much as Frankie Goes to Hollywood.
The chest hair alone is worthy of a like.
I don't remember the black army guy 🤔, thought there were only 5
Much rather listen to them than the top 40 of today
Still love them. Have 2 of their albums.
Had three albums
Everybody likes YMCA! Even if you hate it, you secretly love it
 YMCA!!!!
No yes (back) no (front) yes yes yes
That’s trumps favorite band ever. He’s gay AF 😝
I was 7. Hell yeah they were cool.
"In the Navy" was featured heavily in the movie "Down Periscope', and I love that movie. Other than that song and YMCA I don't know much of their other work if it exists.
Love this guys!
🙋🏾♂️
Very first album I owned. It was a xmas gift.
Liked their beat, got laid after meeting women at disco’s and dancing with them Y M C A
Mu proudest day was watching my 5 year old daughter do the YMCA at a school dance.
In the Navy slaps.
When I was 5 my mother bought me and my two brothers a cd for Christmas. They got Ace of Base and Tony, Toni Tonee. She got me the Villahe People's greatest hits. My brother's razzed that mom deemed me the gay one.
To be honest.. to the stoner under 21 crowd, they were as uncool as you could get 79-85. Just 100% thumbs down.. the music sucked REALLY BAD, commercialized crap.
You can't stop the music!
Who dares to admit you did not?
Still one of the top wedding songs out there and also an orange favorite 😂
I liked the Village People at the same time I liked KISS (age 9 or so). Both bands had kind of superhero-squad formats, and the queer overtones of both that I appreciate so much now we're totally lost on me then.
Saw them live. Front row 🤷🏻♂️
Music is music. Some are affected in different ways. Most of us would smile and sing along. Others downgrade you and smile and sing it when they are by themselves.
*Go West* is still one of my favorite songs.
They were my straight, elderly mom's favorite band. I had to make her a mix tape.
Rob Halford and Freddie Mercury were gay. Who knew?
Bruh they convinced the navy to let them us a aircraft carrier in amusic video (presumably the seaman who signed off on this was unfamiliar with the bands work and thought it would help bump up recruitment). Either way the navy now denies they ever allowed them to use a aircraft carrier but like you can find the music video on YouTube with a bunch of US seaman dancing as extras in the background.
Having lived at a YMCA, I would just like to point out that it is infact, not fun, to stay at the ymca
One of them retired to my town and is well known around the local bar/restaurant community as a character who makes dramatic scenes at times but is very nice to the staff.... I went to see a local artist perform last week only to find the show sold out and he was in line in front of me and gave me his extra ticket because he recognized me from work. I was pretty flattered a celebrity recognized ME lol.
Is that Bill Hader in the cowboy hat?
One of the first albums I listened to as a kid. Rather listen to them than knuckle draggers like Kid Rock or Ted Nugent
You mean to tell me there's folks who don't like these guys??
I loved these guys as a kid! I also love queen. I also like Tyler the Creator... I'm a straight white dude, ain't nothing wrong with that
Straight people in the 70s were so gay
I didn’t realize how diverse or numerous the Hanson brothers were until now!
One of my favorite exchanges from You Can't Stop The Music (1980), a fictional account of their rise to fame: (Right before their big show) Leather Dude: Leathermen don't get nervous. Leathermen don't get nervous. Soldier: oh yes they do, yes they do
Well… MAGA NATIONALISTS? They play it at all the rallies
Does never buying their records and not knowing any other song than ymca allow me to say no?
Mango Mussolini does
They were great as a kid in the 70's singing thier songs not having a clue what they were about lol
“The Village” (a small section of New York) which started in the 60’s. It was an area where LGBTQ could try to be themselves at a time when it was literally illegal and a crime to show any affection for the same sex. Horrible times, but the people rose up against it, reference “The Stonewall Riots”… The Stonewall was a gay bar owned by the mob back then, and the only place most could go without fear of being arrested simply for dancing together. The Stonewall Riot was the first major uprising and truly began the movement when the police raided it one night, and thousands of protesters stood outside and fought for their freedoms. This is the basis, The Village, of where this band The Village People got their name.