Jump to content

Y.M.C.A. (song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Y.M.C.A."
One of A-side label variants of U.S. 7-inch vinyl single
Single by Village People
from the album Cruisin'
B-side"The Women"
ReleasedOctober 17, 1978
Recorded1978
StudioSigma Sound, New York City
GenreDisco
Length
  • 3:49 (single/video version)
  • 4:47 (album version)
  • 6:47 (12" disco version)
LabelCasablanca
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Jacques Morali
Village People singles chronology
"Macho Man"
(1978)
"Y.M.C.A."
(1978)
"In the Navy"
(1979)
Music video
"Y.M.C.A." on YouTube

"Y.M.C.A." is a song by American disco group Village People, written by Jacques Morali (also the record's producer) and singer Victor Willis[1] and released in October 1978 by Casablanca Records as the only single from their third studio album, Cruisin' (1978). A medley with "Hot Cop" reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart,[2] while the song reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1979, placing behind both "Le Freak" by Chic and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" by Rod Stewart.[3] After Donald Trump played the song in 2024, 46 years after its release, "Y.M.C.A." spent 5 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart[4][5] and peaked at No. 15 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50.[6][7] Outside the US, "Y.M.C.A." reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart around the same time, becoming the group's biggest hit. It has sold 12 million copies worldwide.[8]

The song remains popular and is played at many sporting events in the US and Europe, with crowds joining in on the dance by spelling out the four letters of the song's title via arm movements. "Y.M.C.A." is No. 7 on VH1's list of "The 100 Greatest Dance Songs of the 20th Century".[9] In 2020, "Y.M.C.A." was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame[10] and selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[11][12] In its official press release, the Library noted that "back in its heyday, 'Y.M.C.A.' was a hit around the world, going to No. 1 on the charts in over 15 countries, and its ongoing popularity is evidence that, despite the naysayers, disco has never truly died."[11]

History

[edit]

In the US, the YMCA began building single room occupancy (SRO) facilities in the 1880s to house people from rural areas who moved into cities to look for work.[13] By the 1970s, the typical YMCA tenants were more likely to be homeless people and youth facing life issues, rather than people migrating from rural areas.[13]

Victor Willis, lead singer and lyricist, recalls that while in the studio, producer Jacques Morali asked him, "What exactly is the YMCA?" After Willis explained it to him, he saw the expression on Morali's face and said, "Don't tell me, Jacques, you want to write a song about it?" and they quickly wrote the track for the album Cruisin'.[14] Upon the song's release, the YMCA threatened to sue the band over trademark infringement, but ultimately settled with the composers out of court, later expressing pride regarding the song's purpose as a tribute to the organization.[15]

In 2015, Willis won a legal case against Can't Stop Productions, successfully claiming that he and Morali had written this and other Village People songs together, without any involvement from executive producer Henri Belolo, who was credited on the song's original release. The production company claimed that Belolo had written French lyrics that were then adapted by Willis, but this claim was rejected by the court which ruled that Belolo's name as co-writer should be removed.[16]

Composition and background

[edit]

Lyrical content

[edit]

Taken at face value, the song's lyrics extol the virtues of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). However, according to some in the gay culture, the song was implicitly understood as celebrating YMCA's reputation as a popular cruising and hookup spot, particularly for the younger men to whom it was addressed.[17] The initial goal of Village People producers Morali and Belolo was to attract disco's gay audience by featuring popular gay fantasy in their music.[18] Although co-creator Morali was gay and the group was initially intended to target gay men, the group became more popular and more mainstream over time.[19]

Willis had said that he wrote the song in Vancouver, British Columbia[20] and, through his publicist, that he did not write "Y.M.C.A." as a gay anthem,[21] but rather as a reflection of the fun activities that young urban black youth experienced at YMCA, such as basketball and swimming. However, Willis has often acknowledged his fondness for double entendre.[22][23]

In 2024, Willis reiterated his denial that "Y.M.C.A." was a gay anthem and that people needed to "get their minds out of the gutter." While he doesn't mind the song's use as a gay anthem, the "false assumptions were damaging to the song" and further said, "since I wrote the lyrics and ought to know what the lyrics I wrote is really about, come January 2025, my wife will start suing each and every news organization that falsely refers to Y.M.C.A., either in their headlines or alluded to in the base of the story, that Y.M.C.A. is somehow a gay anthem because such notion is based solely on the song’s lyrics alluding to elicit [sic] activity for which it does not”.[24][25] Willis claimed instead that the passage in the song about “hang[ing] out with all the boys” was “simply 1970s Black slang for Black guys hanging out together for sports, gambling or whatever". Willis also added that “I don’t mind that gays think of YMCA as their anthem.”[26]

In an article for Gothamist, writer Abbey White states the atmosphere of YMCA was "more complicated than the lyrics portray, with gay culture and working-class workouts coexisting in a single communal space", creating "a mix of white-collar and blue-collar residents, along with retired seniors and veterans", with about half of the residents being gay.[27] While the song gives the impression that YMCA SROs in the 1970s had a party atmosphere, Paul Groth states that YMCA SRO units actually had "more supervision of your social life — a kind of management as to how you behaved … [than] in a commercial rooming house, which mostly wanted to make sure the rooms were rented", without monitoring who you brought to your room.[27]

Song structure

[edit]

The song, played in the key of G♭ major, begins with 6 bars of a D♭ suspended chord over a bare disco drum beat. This is followed by a brass riff, backed by the constant pulse that typified disco. Many different instruments are used throughout for an overall orchestral feel, another disco convention, but it is brass that stands out.

As with other Village People hits, the lead vocals are handled by Willis and the background vocals are supplied by Willis and professional background singers. The distinctive vocal line features the repeated "Young man!" ecphonesis, followed by Willis singing the verse lines. The background vocals join in throughout the song.

Willis' version of the song is used in the Village People film Can't Stop the Music, though by that time Ray Simpson had replaced him as the policeman.

Reception

[edit]

Billboard stated that "Y.M.C.A." is "another example of [the Village People's] droll humor, playing off its gayness with hard hat themes."[28] Billboard also called "Y.M.C.A." (and its B-side, "The Women") one of the best cuts on the Cruisin' album.[29] Cash Box said that "Y.M.C.A." has "layered horn work and strings and a bright, soaring chorus" and that "Willis' lead vocals are commanding."[30] Record World said that it "has the same foot-stomping bass line and tongue-in-cheek lyrics" as previous Village People hit "Macho Man" and that "the vocals are strong and the production thunderous."[31]

Despite not reaching No. 1 in the United States, it became a No. 1 hit throughout the world and has since remained popular at parties, sporting events, weddings and other functions.

Music video

[edit]

The accompanying music video for "Y.M.C.A.", filmed in New York City in July 1978, features the band singing the song and dancing all over the city. The location shown the most is the original site of YMCA, McBurney, 213 West 23rd Street.[32] Other filming locations included 395 West Street – site of the Ramrod gay club – the West Side Piers and Hudson River Park. It ends with the camera zooming in on the Empire State Building.

Origin of dance and hand movement

[edit]
The YMCA dance demonstrated in a photomontage. In this rendition, the M (second from left) is done in a popular variant.
Members of the grounds crew of Yankee Stadium pause to do the YMCA dance.

YMCA is also the name of a group dance with cheerleader Y-M-C-A choreography invented to fit the song. One of the phases involves moving arms to form the letters Y-M-C-A as they are sung in the chorus:

Y — arms outstretched and raised upwards
M — made by bending the elbows from the 'Y' pose so the fingertips meet in front of the chest[33]
C — arms extended to the left
A — hands held together above head

The dance originated during the group's performance of the song on the January 6, 1979 episode of American Bandstand. Host Dick Clark then said to Willis that he would like to show him something, playing the song again with the audience doing YMCA hand gestures.[34][35] Willis immediately picked up on the dance and mimicked the hand movements back at the audience as other Village People members stared at him with puzzled looks. Clark then turned to Willis and said, "Victor, think you can work this dance into your routine?" Willis responded, "I think we're gonna have to."[34] In a 2008 retrospective article for Spin, Randy Jones explained that the dance originated as a misunderstanding: the group's original choreographed dance had the group clapping above their heads during the chorus and the audience, believing them to be making the letter "Y", began following suit.[36]

Following the sixth inning of New York Yankees baseball games at Yankee Stadium, the grounds crew traditionally grooms the infield while leading the crowd in the dance.[37]

Impact and legacy

[edit]

VH1 placed "Y.M.C.A." at #7 on their list of "100 Greatest Dance Songs" in 2000,[38] while Paste Magazine ranked the song #1 on their list of "The 60 Best Dancefloor Classics" in February 2017.[39] In 2022, Rolling Stone ranked it #139 in their list of "200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time".[40] In 2024, Billboard placed "Y.M.C.A." at #61 on their list of "The 100 Greatest Jock Jams of All Time".[41]

The Village People recorded a version of the song for Pepsi in 1997 for a commercial featuring a group of dancing bears, changing the lyrics to match the drink and spelling out P-E-P-S-I.[42] A few months afterwards, Pepsi used the song again as part of its new blue-themed imaging for the Pepsi Globe.[43] In September 2000 "Y.M.C.A." was used as the Space Shuttle wake-up call on day 11 of STS-106.[44] In 2009, "Y.M.C.A." set a Guinness World Record when over 44,000 people danced to Village People's live performance of the song at the 2008 Sun Bowl game in El Paso, Texas.[45]

In 2012, in a landmark ruling in accordance with the Copyright Act of 1976, Willis terminated his copyrights granted to the publishers Can't Stop Productions and Scorpio Music.[46] In March 2015, it was determined that the sole writers of the song were Morali and Willis.[47]

In March 2020, the US Library of Congress added the song to its National Recording Registry, which preserves for posterity audio that is "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".[48] In December 2020, "Y.M.C.A." was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[10]

Donald Trump

[edit]

US president (2017–2021, 2025-) Donald Trump began using the song (as well as another Village People song, "Macho Man") to close out his rallies during his 2020 re-election campaign. Willis initially approved its use but after several incidents involving the Black Lives Matter protests, he demanded Trump stop, although he later relaxed his stance.[49][50] Saturday Night Live parodied the song and the group's reaction with "Cease and desist" on the October 24, 2020, segment of Weekend Update.[51] As a result, the song was back in the Top 20 on iTunes in November 2020[52] and hit the #2 spot on the Billboard Dance Digital Song Sales chart.[53] On November 6, following the media's declaration that Joe Biden had taken the lead in Pennsylvania over Trump in the 2020 US presidential election, Biden supporters celebrated by dancing in the streets and singing the song across the city of Philadelphia.[54] The song was played over loudspeakers as Trump boarded Air Force One for the last time during his first term on January 20, 2021, en route to Florida before the inauguration of Joe Biden.[55]

In the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump once again used the song at his rallies, usually performing the "Trump Dance" while it played. Willis has lamented his use of the song since 2020, and even considered a lawsuit to block Trump from using the song, but confessed there's "not much he can do about it" and decided it was "beneficial" to have the song back on the charts.[56] He later reversed his position and thanked Trump for using the song, pointing out how it had earned him several million dollars.

Charts

[edit]

Certifications and sales

[edit]
Certifications and sales for Y.M.C.A.
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Belgium 300,000[105]
Canada (Music Canada)[106] 2× Platinum 300,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[107] Gold 45,000
France (SNEP)[109] Gold 1,400,000[108]
Germany (BVMI)[111] Gold 1,000,000[110]
Italy (FIMI)[112]
sales since 2009
Gold 25,000
Japan 500,000[113]
Netherlands (NVPI)[115] Platinum 250,000[114]
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[116] Gold 30,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[118] Platinum 1,500,000[117]
United States (RIAA)[119] Platinum 2,000,000^
Summaries
Worldwide 12,000,000[8]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Hideki Saijo version

[edit]
"Young Man (Y.M.C.A.)"
Single by Hideki Saijo
from the album Young Man/Hideki Flying Up
B-side"Hideki Disco Special"
ReleasedFebruary 21, 1979
GenreKayokyoku
Length4:43
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Kazuo Ohtani
Hideki Saijo singles chronology
"Harukanaru Koibito e"
(1978)
"Young Man (Y.M.C.A.)"
(1979)
"Hop Step Jump"
(1979)

In 1979, Japanese singer Hideki Saijo covered the song for his compilation album Young Man/Hideki Flying Up as "Young Man (Y.M.C.A.)". In Japan, the cover topped on the Oricon chart for five consecutive weeks and became the seventh best-selling single of 1979 in Japan. For the cover, the lyrics were re-written in Japanese by Saijo's manager, Ryuji Amagai. This version is also notable for having a call-and-response in the middle where Saijo and a group of child singers chant the letters "Y M C A" back and forth.

Commercial performance

[edit]

"Young Man (Y.M.C.A.)" debuted at number two on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart, and in the following week, it reached number one, where it stayed for five consecutive weeks. The song finally became the seventh best-selling single of 1979 in Japan and Saijo's best-selling single to date, with the sales of 808,000 copies.

Following the death of Saijo on 16 May 2018, the song re-entered the chart, peaking at number fifteen on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.[120]

Accolades

[edit]

"Young Man (Y.M.C.A.)" won the Grand Prix at the FNS Music Festival '79 and the 10th Japan Music Awards. Despite the hit, the song was disqualified for the 21st Japan Record Awards due to the competition's guideline that requires the songs to be original work. At the award, Saijo instead won the golden award for his single, "Yuki ga Areba" (1979).

Cover versions

[edit]

"Young Man (Y.M.C.A.)" has been covered by multiple other Asian musicians, including Keisuke Kuwata, Aska, George Lam, Yang Kun, and E-girls. It was covered by the Minions in the 2013 animated film Despicable Me 2.

Track listing

[edit]

7-inch single

  1. "Young Man (Y.M.C.A.)" – 4:43
  2. "Hideki Disco Special" (Medley)

Charts

[edit]

Touché version

[edit]
"Y.M.C.A."
Single by Touché
from the album Kids In America
ReleasedSeptember 14, 1998
Recorded1998
GenreEurodance
Length3:09 (single version)
3:14 (album version)
LabelBMG, Hansa
Songwriter(s)Jacques Morali, Victor Willis
Producer(s)Dieter Bohlen
Touché singles chronology
"I'll Give You My Heart"
(1998)
"Y.M.C.A."
(1998)
"This Goodbye Is Not Forever"
(1998)

In 1998, Touché covered the hit for their album Kids in America with Krayzee. In this version Touche take over the vocal parts and only the rap contributes to Krayzee. In Belgium, this cover version was a top ten hit, while the success in the German-speaking countries, however, was rather modest.

Music video

[edit]

In the music video Touche and Krayzee perform the song in a city area, accompanied by elaborate effects.[122]

Track listing

[edit]

CD maxi

  1. "YMCA" (Rap Version) – 3:09
  2. "YMCA" (Vocal Version) – 3:14
  3. "Promise To Believe" (Touché) – 3:57
  4. "I Want Your Body" (Touché) – 3:19

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1998) Peak
position
German Singles Chart 31
Austrian Singles Chart 31
Swiss Singles Chart 23[123]
Belgium (Flanders) (Ultratop) 10[124]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Littlefield, Dana (March 5, 2015). "Village People cop wins 50% of 'YMCA' rights". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on November 3, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  2. ^ "The Village People Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
  3. ^ "Top 100 Songs | Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Billboard. January 2, 2013.
  4. ^ "Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales". Billboard.,
  5. ^ https://www.billboard.com/charts/dance-electronic-digital-song-sales/
  6. ^ a b "TikTok Billboard Top 50". Billboard.
  7. ^ https://www.billboard.com/charts/dance-electronic-digital-song-sales/
  8. ^ a b "Glenn Hughes". The Daily Telegraph. London. March 16, 2001. Archived from the original on March 16, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  9. ^ "the VH1's 100 Greatest Dance Songs". Disco-disco.com. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  10. ^ a b "GRAMMY Hall of Fame 2021 Inductions Announced". December 21, 2020.
  11. ^ a b "National Recording Registry Class Produces Ultimate 'Stay at Home' Playlist". Library of Congress – National Recording Registry. March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  12. ^ "The Village People's YMCA is preserved for posterity". BBC News. March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  13. ^ a b Stern, Seth (October 26, 2005). "New YMCA would drop low-income housing". Forestparkreview.com. Forest Park Review. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  14. ^ Victor Willis Interview, SiriusXM Radio, Studio 54 Channel, Marc and Myra Show, September 24, 2013
  15. ^ "How Did the Real YMCA React to the Disco Song About It?". Mentalfloss.com. February 20, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  16. ^ Chris Cooke, "Victor Willis wins a 50% stake in YMCA", CMU.com, 6 March 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2019
  17. ^ Neumann, Caryn E. glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture YMCA
  18. ^ "The Village People – FREE The Village People information | Encyclopedia.com: Find The Village People research". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  19. ^ Juzwiak, Rich (January 2, 2014). "Village Person Says "Y.M.C.A." Isn't About Gays, Is Probably Lying". Gawker.com. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  20. ^ "'Macho Man,' 'Y.M.C.A.' about straight fun: publicist". CTV News. August 2, 2007. Archived from the original on February 20, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  21. ^ "Village People Cop: Y.M.C.A. Not about Gay Cruising". August 3, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  22. ^ Boles, Benjamin (February 7, 2014). "Gay Village People Co-Founder Says 'YMCA' Not A Gay Song". HuffPost Canada. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  23. ^ Varga, George (August 2, 2015). "Victor Willis on life & music, post-Village People". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  24. ^ Schwanemann, Kaitlyn. "Village People singer defends Trump's use of 'Y.M.C.A.,' says song isn't a 'gay anthem'". NBC News. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  25. ^ Padgett, Donald. "Village People founder bizarrely defends use of 'Y.M.C.A.' by Trump". Out. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  26. ^ "YMCA has never been gay, says the song's lyricist and singer". The Guardian. December 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  27. ^ a b White, Abbey (December 20, 2018). "The Real Story Of The YMCA That Inspired The Village People's Gay Anthem=". Gothamist. Archived from the original on December 20, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  28. ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. October 14, 1978. p. 78. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  29. ^ "Top Album Picks" (PDF). Billboard. October 7, 1978. p. 82. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  30. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 21, 1978. p. 28. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  31. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. October 21, 1978. p. 3. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  32. ^ "Discover Flatiron: NYC's First Y.M.C.A Building".
  33. ^ "Official Village People website, July 4, 2004". Officialvillagepeople.com. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  34. ^ a b American Bandstand 1978
  35. ^ Winfrey, Oprah (host) (February 7, 2014). "Rick Springfield, Jill Zarin, Terry Fator and the Village People". Oprah: Where Are They Now?. Season 3. Episode 306. OWN. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  36. ^ Pearlman, Jeff (May 27, 2008). "Y.M.C.A (An Oral History)". Spin.com. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  37. ^ "NY- Yankee Stadium- 7th Inning Stretch". I Photo New York. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
  38. ^ "Rock On The Net: VH1: 100 Greatest Dance Songs". Rockonthenet.com.
  39. ^ "The 60 Best Dancefloor Classics". Paste Magazine. February 28, 2017. Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  40. ^ Dolan, Jon; Lopez, Julyssa; Matos, Michaelangelo; Shaffer, Claire (July 22, 2022). "200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  41. ^ Billboard Staff (February 8, 2024). "The 100 Greatest Jock Jams of All Time". Billboard. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  42. ^ [1][dead link]
  43. ^ [2][dead link]
  44. ^ "Audio Wakeup Call Index". Spaceflight.nasa.gov. Archived from the original on October 17, 2000. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  45. ^ Peterson, Jan (February 2, 2012). "Dancing Without the Stars: "YMCA" and Other Record-Breaking Dance Events". Yahoo TV. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  46. ^ Gardner, Eriq (May 8, 2012). "Village People Songwriter Victor Willis Wins Case Over Termination of 'Y.M.C.A.' Rights". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  47. ^ Eriq Gardner (March 5, 2015). "Jury Decides Village People 'Y.M.C.A.' Songwriter Has 100 Percent Song Share". The Hollywood Reporter.
  48. ^ "The Village People's YMCA is preserved for posterity". BBC News. March 25, 2020.
  49. ^ Blistein, Jon (June 8, 2020). "Village People Singer Victor Willis Tells Trump to Stop Using Their Music at Rallies". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  50. ^ "Village People Singer Says Trump's Use of 'YMCA' is Good for Business". October 15, 2024.
  51. ^ Keveney, Bill. "'SNL' Weekend Update: Village People rewrite lyrics to order Trump to stop playing 'Y.M.C.A.'". USA TODAY. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  52. ^ Mike Wass (November 3, 2020). "Village People's "Y.M.C.A"" Is Top 20 On US iTunes". idolator.
  53. ^ "Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales Chart". Billboard. January 24, 2013.
  54. ^ "Philadelphians are dancing in the streets to celebrate Joe Biden's lead in Pennsylvania". Business Insider.
  55. ^ Amatulli, Jenna (January 20, 2021). "Trump Ends Presidency Blasting 'YMCA' As He Boards Air Force One, Twitter Takes Off". Huffpost. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  56. ^ "Village People Singer Says Trump's Use of 'YMCA' Is Good for Business". TMZ. October 15, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  57. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 329. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  58. ^ "Australia n°1 Hits – 70's". Worldcharts.co.uk. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  59. ^ "Village People – Y.M.C.A." (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  60. ^ "Village People – Y.M.C.A." (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  61. ^ "Y.M.C.A. in Canadian Top Singles Chart". Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  62. ^ "Y.M.C.A. in Canadian Adult Contemporary Chart". Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  63. ^ "Y.M.C.A. in Canadian Disco Singles Chart". Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  64. ^ "Y.M.C.A. in Canadian Top 15 12inch Chart (with Macho man)". Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  65. ^ a b "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70" (in French). Infodisc.fr. June 3, 2013. Archived from the original on March 30, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  66. ^ "Ireland singles charts". Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on June 2, 2009. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  67. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 3, 1979" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  68. ^ "Village People – Y.M.C.A." (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  69. ^ "Village People – Y.M.C.A.". Top 40 Singles.
  70. ^ "Village People – Y.M.C.A.". VG-lista.
  71. ^ John Samson. "Y.M.C.A. in South African Chart". Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  72. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (February 1979). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  73. ^ "Village People – Y.M.C.A.". Singles Top 100.
  74. ^ "Village People – Y.M.C.A.". Swiss Singles Chart.
  75. ^ a b c "Village People". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  76. ^ "Village People Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  77. ^ "Village People Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  78. ^ "Village People Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  79. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 2/03/79". Tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on February 14, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  80. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Village People – Y.M.C.A." (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  81. ^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 03 Apr 1994". ARIA. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  82. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 50. December 11, 1993. p. 23. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  83. ^ "Y.M.C.A. and Y.M.C.A. '93 in Irish Chart". IRMA. Archived from the original on June 2, 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2013. Only results when searching "Y.M.C.A."
  84. ^ "Y.M.C.A. '93 in New Zealand Chart". IRMA. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  85. ^ "Airplay 100" (PDF). Hit Music. January 15, 1994. p. 19. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  86. ^ "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. December 4, 1993. p. 22. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  87. ^ "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). December 4, 1993. p. 4. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
  88. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". officialcharts.com.
  89. ^ "Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales". Billboard.
  90. ^ "Kent Music Report No 236 – 1 January 1979 > National Top 100 Singles for 1978". Kent Music Report. Retrieved January 8, 2022 – via Imgur.com.
  91. ^ Hung, Steffen. "australian-charts.com – Forum – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  92. ^ "Kent Music Report No 288 – 31 December 1979 > National Top 100 Singles for 1979". Kent Music Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023 – via Imgur.com.
  93. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1979". austriancharts.at. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  94. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1979". Ultratop. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  95. ^ Canada, Library and Archives (July 17, 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". Collectionscanada.ca. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  96. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1979". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  97. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1979". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  98. ^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. Archived from the original on July 4, 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  99. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1979". hitparade.ch. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  100. ^ "Top Singles 1979". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. December 22, 1979. p. 27.
  101. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1979/Top 100 Songs of 1979". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  102. ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles – 1979". Tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  103. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  104. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  105. ^ Anthonissen, Juul (May 12, 1979). "From The Music Capitals Of The World – Brussels" (PDF). Billboard. p. 69. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  106. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Village People – YMCA". Music Canada. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  107. ^ "Danish single certifications – Village People – YMCA". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  108. ^ Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP). Fabrice Ferment (ed.). TOP – 1978 (in French). OCLC 469523661. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2022 – via Top-France.fr. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  109. ^ "French single certifications – Village People – Y.M.C.A." (in French). InfoDisc. Select VILLAGE PEOPLE and click OK. 
  110. ^ Spahr, Wolfgang (July 28, 1979). "Germany's Metronome Label Booming". Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 30. p. 9. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  111. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Village People; 'Y.M.C.A.')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  112. ^ "Italian single certifications – Village People – YMCA" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved November 27, 2020. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "YMCA" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  113. ^ "'Navy' Cover Conflict Breaks Out In Japan". Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 19. May 12, 1979. p. 65. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved February 9, 2022 – via Google Books.
  114. ^ "Gold/Silver Record Chart". Billboard. December 26, 1974. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  115. ^ "Dutch single certifications – Village People – Y.M.C.A." (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Y.M.C.A. in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1979 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  116. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Village People – YMCA". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  117. ^ "Pride special: Celebrating the biggest selling singles by LGBT artists". The Official Charts Company. June 25, 2016.
  118. ^ "British single certifications – Village People – Y.M.C.A." British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  119. ^ "American single certifications – Village People – Y.M.C.A." Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  120. ^ a b "YOUNG MAN(Y.M.C.A.)". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  121. ^ a b "西城秀樹さん、「YOUNG MAN」などヒット曲多数 男性ソロ歴代6位のシングル総売上1159万枚". Oricon (in Japanese). May 18, 2018. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  122. ^ "Touche – YMCA (ft. Krayzee, prod. Dieter Bohlen)". YouTube. April 2011. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021.
  123. ^ "Touché feat. Krayzee – YMCA – hitparade.ch". Hitparade.ch.
  124. ^ "Touché feat. Krayzee – YMCA". Ultratop.be.
[edit]
External videos
video icon Original 1978 music video