Village People Album: “Macho Man”

I can't believe I found this for fifty cents at a flea market recently...at that price, how could I resist? After all, I was the whole of maybe 17 years old when this originally came out and it got played a lot at high school dances.

On the other hand, I didn't remember that the whole affair barely clocked in at more than a half hour, or that the two songs on side one were a little longer than 10 minutes. But for those ten minutes, the glorious bubble-gum disco of "Macho Man/I Am What I Am" completely obliterates the old arguments about disco, and makes a great statement about being who you are, no matter what society tells you. And it's still catchy as all get out.

After that, "Macho Man" is cheesy filler. "Key West" is marginal, but the dopey remake of "Just A Gigalo/Ain't Got Nobody" actually makes you long for David Lee Roth, and "Sodom and Gomorra" is dreadful. I picked this up strictly for nostalgia purposes, and I'm glad I did, because that first 10 minutes takes me back. Causal onlookers can probably be served just as well by "The Millennium Collection" or by any of the dozens of Village People greatest hits collections out there.

But then there was this - about as good as disco got. These are clear, crisp recordings with a soulful lead singer and a lot of nice spread-octave backup vocals. The arrangements are first rate; most people haven't heard the instrumental breakdown in the title track; the whole vibe created there is worth the price. The problem with the genre was that to do it right like this - or like some of the other Casablanca artists like Donna Summer - was that it was expensive to produce; there must be a dozen folks playing across all the tape tracks in places on these songs. It's also nice that this was pre-drum-machine and synthesizers, if present at all, played a minor role - harmonies were mostly coming from real guitar, electric piano or clavinet, horns, and voices.

The Village People performed many songs full of energy; and their music was great for dancing or just when I wanted to listen to some special disco tunes back in the day! Indeed, they were so good then that their music still sounds wonderful in our time; I always enjoy putting an album like this into my portable CD player and listening to this over and over again! They were and remain upbeat gay men, very much out of the closet and proud; and this was reflected in the vast majority of their tunes. Yet even straights can enjoy these songs; if anyone likes disco this is a CD they should get for their collection! The sound quality could be a little bit better but overall this remains a strong album.

"Macho Man" starts the CD off with an awesome number that lots of people will like. The chorus they sing balances the lead vocals and I like that. "I Am What I Am" is very well done; and there's yet another golden nugget in "Key West" which brings up images of this gay friendly community. As with all these songs, the beat really grabs me and pulls me in; it makes me want to dance to the music practically without my even thinking about it!

"Just a Gigolo" and "I Ain't Got Nobody" are actually old standards; but you'd never guess it by the way The Village People deliver these with lots of get-up-and-go and a perfect beat! The CD ends with The Village People performing "Sodom and Gomorrah;" this is well done even if it doesn't truly fit in with the openly-gay, $ex having male flavor of the album.

Village People fans should get this CD; it may not have the best sound quality and "Sodom and Gomorrah" may not completely fit in, but the overall quality is so good and full of campy fun that you won't regret it.

Back in the day, when we spent the night going from club to club, dripping gold chains and polyester, sporting the most intricately blow-dried hairstyles of the day (...and the girls looked nice, too!) this was most often the music that got everyone away from the bar and onto the dance floor.

If you loved the Village People, no amount of trashing by the critics will change your mind. This is some awesome, unforgettable disco music that will make you get up and dance again. (But I'll never wear those 6" heels with the rhinestone ankle straps ever, ever again!!)

I love this album and the title song. This will get your heart pumping with this one. Like on American Bandstand, when these guys appeared, it has a nice beat, and is easy to dance to. My sister brought the album home one time, and listened to it like crazy. Village People was and still is the hottest group ever. I would get this album on my wish list. Their costumes are kool. Buy this puppy, and you will never stop listening to it!!!