Village People are well known for its on-stage costumes as for its catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics. The members each dress as a police officer, an American Indian chief, a construction worker, a member of the military, a leatherman ( biker), and a cowboy. Village People scored a number of disco and dance hits, including their trademark “Macho Man “, but their 1978 song “Y.M.C.A.” made them one of the most successful disco groups of their time. Taking the song at face value, its lyrics extol the virtues of the Young Men’s Christian Association. In the gay culture from which the group sprang, the song was understood as celebrating the YMCA’s reputation as a popular cruising and hookup spot, particularly for the younger gay men to whom it was addressed. The song has continued to remain popular despite (or later, because of) its status as a disco classic and gay anthem, even among listeners who are otherwise uninvolved in disco or gay culture. A popular dance in which the arms are used to spell out the four letters of the song’s title may have much to do with this. It is frequently played during breaks in the action at sporting events, with crowds using the dance as an opportunity to stretch, similar to the later “Macarena.”

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