In the Navy

"In the Navy"
Single by Village People
from the album Go West
B-side "Manhattan Woman"
Released 1979
Format 7", 12"
Recorded 1978
Genre Disco
Length 5:40
3:43 (7" version)
Label Casablanca Records
Writer(s) Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo, Victor Willis
Producer Jacques Morali
Village People singles chronology
"Go West"
(1979)
"In the Navy"
(1979)
"Ready for the 80's"
(1979)
For the 1941 Abbott & Costello film, see In the Navy (film).

"In the Navy" is a song recorded by American disco group Village People released in 1979. It was the last top 10 hit for the group in the United States.

Contents

Background and writing

After the enormous commercial success of their 1978 hit "Y.M.C.A." which unexpectedly became the unofficial hymn and powerful advertizing tool for the YMCA, the United States Navy contacted group manager Henri Belolo for production of a similar song about the United States Navy, considering using the song in a recruiting advertising campaign on television and radio. Henri Belolo gave the rights for free on the condition that the Navy help them shoot the music video. Less than a month later, Village People arrived at the San Diego Naval base. The Navy provided them with a warship (USS Reasoner (FF-1063)), several aircraft, and the crew of the ship (with the stipulation that the crew wouldn't dance). The Navy later canceled the campaign after protests erupted over using taxpayer money for a music video of a controversial group.[1]

Chart positions

Chart (1979) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 3
U.S. Billboard Disco Singles 14
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles 30
Austrian Singles Chart 5
Canadian RPM Top Singles 1
Dutch Singles Chart 1
New Zealand Singles Chart 7
Norwegian Singles Chart 2
Swedish Singles Chart 3
Swiss Singles Chart 7
UK Singles Chart 2

Pop-culture occurrences

References