Village People
The Best of Village People

THE REVIEW

I find it mortifying, desolating, and unheard of to endure the absence, in the overrated debaserian database of over 23,000 reviews, of an iconic group in music and beyond of the '900: the Village People.

We are talking about people who worked their tails off to break through, who undertook an exhausting career consisting of grueling performances in tourist villages and shows in nightclubs (their name is inspired by a famous New York club, the "Greenwich Village"), before achieving well-deserved worldwide success, and who brought a decisive breath of fresh air to the stagnant musical world of the second half of the '70s.

The group revolves around the charismatic figure of the ex-prison police officer Victor Willis, a very talented singer, whose soul voice and funky moves counterbalance the epic choruses of the rest of the group composed of: a biker ex-con spotted by Willis in the prison showers; an ex-soldier, discriminated against by the hostile and bigoted ambiance of the Marines, hence in search of a comeback in a more favorable environment; a cowboy and an Indian, discovered on a hard film set while acting in the movie "The Big Gunslinger" (a parody of the '76 John Wayne film "The Gunfighter"); and finally a construction worker (stage-builder for concerts), who joined after a mysterious exchange of views with Willis in the concert's backstage.

The group debuted, in its full lineup, in '77 with the EP "Village People," which received a decent response both in terms of sales and from critics. The highlight is without a doubt "San Francisco", a wild, high-energy piece accompanied by a swaying video where the People showcase all their talents as singers and dancers (some moves are really tough).

The real breakthrough came with their second album, unambiguously titled "Macho Man" which shot them to the top of the sales charts; unsurprisingly, the standout track is the title track, which proves to be a true musical gem: supported by a super funky bass line and airy synthesizer melodies, the song flows smoothly like oil, with Willis singing rapidly without ever stumbling (how on earth does he do it?) up to the excessively catchy chorus that you will find yourselves singing, men and women alike, even if unintentionally.

From there on, it was an unprecedented escalation, reminiscent of the Beatles, with increasingly elaborate chart-topping hits like "In the Navy" (where the People experiment with the psychedelic novelty of "clap handing"), or the famous "Just a Gigolo" (avant-garde by definition) not to mention the unmissable "Go West" (here in a lovely live version), an atmospheric song capable of adapting to any occasion, even while shaving (you remember the commercial, right?).

Unfortunately, at the dawn of the '80s, with the advent of new age, our heroes, paradoxically, could no longer achieve the same success because they had moved so far ahead to be understood at the time, so much so that we still need to hear more music to fully grasp the meaning of some of their songs.

The Village People went forward nonetheless, despite the sudden lineup changes, and they have come all the way to the present day with the same enthusiasm as ever, taking their repertoire, which has few equals in the world, around the globe.

You will find almost all their best (it's a pity to have lost the daring eighties experiments) in the fantastic celebratory pack "The Best Of Village People," which will delight all lovers of good music... and yes, fear not, it's there too ...

UAAA IEM SI EIIIII, ITS FANN TO STAI AT, UAAA IEM SI EIIII....