Composition and background Lyrical content 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. 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 organization ultimately settled with the composers out of court and later expressed pride regarding the song saluting the organization. Upon the song's release, YMCA threatened to sue the band over trademark infringement. 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'. 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. By 1950, 670 of the 1,688 YMCAs in the US provided SRO spaces, which made 66,959 beds available. The typical YMCA SRO housing provides "low-income, temporary housing for a rent of $110 per week" (in 2005) for stays that are typically three to six months long. 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. 1 on the charts in over 15 countries, and its ongoing popularity is evidence that, despite the naysayers, disco has never truly died." 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. "Y.M.C.A." is #7 on VH1's list of "The 100 Greatest Dance Songs of the 20th Century." In 2020, "Y.M.C.A" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
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. In September 2000 "Y.M.C.A." was used as the Space Shuttle wake-up call on day 11 of STS-106. The song remains popular and is played at many sporting events in the US and Europe, with crowds joining in on the dance in which arm movements are used to spell out the four letters of the song's title. It is one of fewer than 40 singles to have sold 10 million (or more) physical copies worldwide. 1 in the UK around the same time, becoming the group's biggest hit. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in early 1979, placing behind both " Le Freak" by Chic and " Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" by Rod Stewart.
2 on Billboard 's Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart, while the song reached No. The song was written by Jacques Morali (also the record's producer) and singer Victor Willis.
It was released in 1978 as the only single from their third studio album, Cruisin' (1978). " Y.M.C.A." is a song by the American disco group Village People. Henri Belolo (co-credited on original release).Sigma Sound Studios ( New York City, New York)