Y.M.C.A. Lyrics
Young man, there's no need to feel down, I said
Young man, pick yourself off the ground, I said
Young man, 'cause you're in a new town
There's no need to be unhappy
Young man, there's a place you can go, I said
Young man, when you're short on your dough you can
Stay there and I'm sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time
[Chorus]
It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
They have everything for young men to enjoy
You can hang out with all the boys
It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
You can get yourself clean, you can have a good meal
You can do whatever you feel
[Verse 2]
Young man, are you listening to me? I said
Young man, what do you want to be? I said
Young man, you can make real your dreams
But you've got to know this one thing
No man does it all by himself, I said
Young man, put your pride on the shelf
And just go there, to the Y.M.C.A.
I'm sure they can help you today
It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
They have everything for young men to enjoy
You can hang out with all the boys
It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
You can get yourself clean, you can have a good meal
You can do whatever you feel
[Verse 3]
Young man, I was once in your shoes, I said
I was down and out with the blues, I felt
No man cared if I were alive
I felt the whole world was so jive
That's when someone came up to me and said
"Young man, take a walk up the street
It's a place there called the Y.M.C.A.
They can start you back on your way"
[Chorus]
It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
They have everything for young men to enjoy
You can hang out with all the boys
Y.M.C.A., it's fun to stay at the
Y.M.C.A.
Young man, young man, there's no need to feel down
Young man, young man, get yourself off the ground
[Instrumental Break]
[Outro]
Y.M.C.A., it's fun to stay at the
Y.M.C.A.
Young man, young man, are you listening to me?
Young man, young man, what do you wanna be?
Y.M.C.A., you'll find it at the
Y.M.C.A.
No man, no man does it all by himself
Young man, young man, put your pride on the shelf
Y.M.C.A. and just go to the
Y.M.C.A.
Young man, young man, I was once in your shoes
Young man, young man, I was down with the blues
Y.M.C.A., it's fun to stay at the
About
The opening track and lead single of the Village People’s 1978 album Cruisin'. At first, “Y.M.C.A.” appears to be expressing the virtues of the titular Young Men’s Christian Association, a worldwide organization that aims to spread Christian values via the development of one’s physical health. However, it has been alternately interpreted as a gay anthem due to the Association’s reputation as a popular cruising and hookup spot for young men. Victor Willis, one of the song’s co-writers and lead singer, said through his publicist that it wasn’t intended to be seen that way, but rather as an anthem for hanging out with your straight buddies at that place.
Regardless of the song’s origins, “Y.M.C.A.” still became one of the band’s biggest hits, topping various charts worldwide (but not the US, where it was barely kept off the top by Rod Stewart’s Do Ya' Think I’m Sexy), being one of the few singles to have sold 10 million+ copies worldwide, and becoming one of their signature songs still being played in dance clubs everywhere.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
Writer and lead vocalist Victor Willis told Billboard:
I explained [to French producer Jacques Morali] the acronym was for Young Men’s Christian Association, and expressed to him how growing up in San Francisco I frequently visited the YMCA and played basketball with my boys and ran around the track. I thought it would be nice to be able to express gratitude for the place I hung out in my youth that kept me off the streets and helped me become who I am now.
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