The Village People "Renaissance" 1981
I used to think the term one-hit wonder meant a band who had MADE only one song in their career, as though every song ever made got frequent radio play. For example, someone would say "aren't the Buggles great?" and I'd just be like "um, they have ONE song." Turns out they made a really fun full record. Similarly, I feel like my generation grew up thinking that the Village People were one of those one hit wonder bands, that they were a group of (maybe you knew they were gay, maybe not) dudes who dressed up in costumes and made one song that has its own motions. Not really a dance per say, but everyone knows it, right? When I think of one hit wonders I imagine the Family Feud board: "We surveyed 100 people and asked them which Village People song would they like to make whoopee to." I can't imagine anyone actually wanting to answer that, but gun to their head, it would be YMCA, right? Because most people, especially these mystery people (whom I did not believe really existed until recently) answering the surveys aren't going to know any other song by The Village People. And maybe, as the second contestant to answer, you might get a point or two for “Macho Man,” now that the worst president in U.S. history danced to it in a viral video. Not that that would make it better love-making music by the way, just pointing out that people might know the name of it, and that not everyone associates the Village People with Gay Pride, clearly.
Also, they have much, much better songs to accompany your special night. Two of them are on today's record "Renaissance."
Now, to my pleasant surprise while researching this album, I learned there is way more to the history of the Village People than I could write on here. It is an interesting story for sure, but for now I would like to focus on this album, because it is so much more than just a late-career stinker by a band with a very specific gimmick who had a few popular songs.
“Macho Man” and “YMCA” came out in 1978, and this is from 1981. If the name of the album wasn't a clear enough sign that they were trying to do something different, the cover will make you do a double take. It did for me. It was like slow motion the first time I saw it at work, like "Oh I'm definitely going to play that as soon as the boss is gone…wait, does that say The Village People?!"
From there it was one of the wildest rides an album has ever taken me on. And please, don't let me spoil this for you. I encourage anyone reading this to go listen for yourself and then come back.
Mind blown, right? Let's break it down, the first track is CLEARLY the song that's going to set your night up. It's even called "Do You Want to Spend the Night" as though they anticipated the question I posed at the beginning. Its a nice sexy disco jam that you can dance to properly before getting down to business.
But it's track number two that honestly makes me think someone truly put some effort into this image revamp. “5 O’clock in the Morning” doesn't quite deliver on the New Romantic (think Adam Ant/Duran Duran) promise of the cover, but it's a good try. If this came up when I was shuffling Spotify, I would probably get up to see who it is, and The Village People would never even come to mind as a guess. There's some synth strings, a catchy chorus, and lyrics about regretting taking someone for granted. It's a pleasant surprise, but for me doesn’t really hold up on repeated listens. Wikipedia says it was a big hit in Italy.
After that is Fireman, which feels like it should have been some kind of a hit. It's got sort of a Stevie Wonder horns-and-funky-keys thing going on and totally fits their old gimmick.
And then there is “Jungle City.” This could have been in an 80’s comedy thriller with like Whoopie Goldberg or something. It’s fun. But memorable? Meh.
OK, that’s it for Side A. Those should songs should have been bigger. If Disco had not taken such a nose dive, you’d probably at least know “Fireman” and the first song from Side B as well as you know “Macho Man.”
This is my final warning, please listen to Side B before you read this.
If I asked you to imagine what a song by The Village People called “Action Man” sounded like, you would probably just spontaneously sing the refrain from this. It’s “Macho Man” for the 80s. The thing you might not be able to predict if that It also borrows heavily from “Whip It.” Borrows is generous, I would almost guess that it is a sample. I guess if this album had done anything commercially they would have got sued, but maybe Devo didn’t want to kick them when they are down. This song is actually very fun. Expect to hear this, not “YMCA,” at my wedding.
But folks, the next song is why you are here. It is called “Big Mac.” I was SURE this song was about a dude named Mac after hearing it the first time. I mean, it sounds like the greatest McDonald’s commercial of all time (way catchier than that BaBaBaBaBa shit), but I just knew it had to be filled double entendres. They would be so easy, but no. There is nothing here that sounds like any kind of code. Every internet site I could find ( I don’t have a lyric sheet) says that one line is “I just drink those patches down.” I hear “arches,” which makes sense, and I have no idea what “Patches” would mean either in coded language or just straight up. The only other thing that seems like it could be a thing is the rejection of tacos over burgers, but that doesn’t really seem like 80s slang and is far too crass for this kind of song. This song is fun as hell, AND has theremin! So if it’s not coded, It HAD to be written as a commercial, right? Maybe with the 80s disco/gay backlash McDonald’s was concerned with embracing this band, or worried that there was indeed some coded language that could come back to haunt them. I suppose it could be that they were trying to make song in the vein of “California Girls” by The Beach Boys, saying that they prefer the All-American man, but that is a huge stretch. I mean, I really want to hope that that is the deal here. Like, they wanted to write about how good it feels to be back in San Francisco and someone was like nope, can’t do that. The most confusing part about this song, if it IS just about McDonald’s is how much of a left turn that makes the message of the next song.
If you were on Family Feud once again and the category was “Weird Al Songs,” and your family members sadly don’t know any, I think it’s a safe bet that they would probably come up with titles like “Diet” and “Food Fight.” But those idiots would be wrong. Those are actually the titles of the last two songs on this record. “Diet” sounds like Richard Simmons commissioned Weird Al for a Deal-a-Meal commercial. Except that it’s not that clever, and it’s much harsher. I don’t even know if it’s trying to be funny. I mean, for real this is straight up about being tempted by junk food, and borders on fat shaming although Don’t you know you’ve got to diet/Or you’re gonna roll away is pretty good. This song should be playing outside gyms the world over. YMCAs at least!
Despite everything I’ve written previously, the final song “Food Fight” outdoes the rest for being completely out of place. If Weird Al were to parody Minor Threat or early Black Flag, it would likely sound like this. If I heard it, I would think that’s just what it is. Like with “Action Man”s similarity to “Whip It,” this sounds uncannily like The Dead Milkmen, but it is far too early to be a rip-off. And lyrically there is absolutely no room for nuance here: this is about a food fight in a high school cafeteria.
I'm looking at my teacher, got him in my sights…
Grab up a banana and hit ‘em right between the eyes
I hit him with an apple, I hit him with a pie
Food Fight!
And with that the album is over. Many of the albums I have chosen to highlight here are things I have ended up listening to for enjoyment over and over, and I have tried to steer clear of chasing things I think have zero value, but I’m not sure where this falls. Will I ever listen to it just for myself if I’m not trying to show someone what an oddity it is? Not likely. But I feel like it is far beyond the sort of so-bad-its-good kind of thing. I am endlessly fascinated by its existence. I want to know more than just the paragraph that Wikipedia provides. I want it to be more than just eight tracks of completely different genres thrown together desperately hoping something will catch on, but I ultimately think that’s what it is. Which is why I would probably never listen for pleasure; it is too jarring to jump from one kind of song to a vastly different one directly after.
Inexplicably, this is apparently an alternate cover, maybe for the CD release.
This 45 (12-inch would be even better!) is definitely on my list now.