Retroactive

You don't have to be "In the Navy" (where "you can sail the seven seas"!) to enjoy the classic kitsch of the Village People. Whether you like them or not, the songs of this quintessential costumed group stick in your cerebral cortex. The cop, the cowboy, the construction worker, the...

By Catalina Soltero

January 27, 2005

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You don't have to be "In the Navy" (where "you can sail the seven seas"!) to enjoy the classic kitsch of the Village People. Whether you like them or not, the songs of this quintessential costumed group stick in your cerebral cortex. The cop, the cowboy, the construction worker, the soldier, the leather-clad biker and the Injun chief (these People were pre-PC) all became unforgettable camp icons in the last days of disco. The band's tongue-in-cheek take on gay society was just subtle enough to make the music acceptable to mainstream audiences; 27 years after its release, young and old alike still mimic the arm gestures of "YMCA" at wedding receptions across the country. Although the costumes now disguise a few replacement members, the group's effervescent identity remains intact. So be a "Macho Man" and indulge in the pure entertainment of the Village People, opening for Cher this Wednesday, February 2, at the World Arena in Colorado Springs.

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