In the Navy
{{short description|1979 single by Village People}}
{{For|the 1941 Abbott & Costello film|In the Navy (film){{!}}In the Navy (film)}}
{{Infobox song
| name = In the Navy
| cover = In_the_navy.jpg
| type = single
| artist = Village People
| album = Go West
| B-side = Manhattan Woman
| released = March 17, 1979
| recorded = 1978
| genre = Disco
| length = 5:39 (album version)
3:45 (single edit)
| label = Casablanca
| writer = {{flatlist|
| producer = Jacques Morali
| prev_title = Y.M.C.A.
| prev_year = 1978
| next_title = Go West
| next_year = 1979
| misc = {{external music video|{{YouTube|InBXu-iY7cw|"In the Navy"}}}}
}}
"In the Navy" is a song by American disco group Village People. It was released as the first single from their fourth studio album, Go West (1979). It was a number one hit in Canada, Flanders, Japan and the Netherlands, while reaching number two in Ireland, Norway and the UK. In 1994, a remix charted at number 36 in the UK. "In the Navy" was the last top 10 hit for the group in the United States, peaking at number three.
Background, writing and video
After the enormous commercial success of their 1978 hit "Y.M.C.A.", which unexpectedly became the unofficial hymn and powerful advertising tool for the YMCA,{{Cite web|url=https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/ymca-feel-about-village-people-song.htm|title = How Does the YMCA Feel About the Village People Song 'Y.M.C.A.'?|date = 31 January 2017}} the group took on another national institution, the United States Navy. The Navy contacted group manager Henri Belolo to use the song in a recruiting advertising campaign for television and radio. Belolo gave the rights free on condition that the Navy help them shoot the music video. Less than a month later, the Village group arrived at Naval Base San Diego where the Navy provided them with access to film on the deck of the berthed frigate USS Reasoner; in the end, the Navy did not use the video, choosing to remain with the traditional "Anchors Aweigh".{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/nov/12/popandrock8|title=Ed Vulliamy on the Village People story|author=Ed Vulliamy|work=the Guardian|date=12 November 2006}}
In a landmark ruling in 2012, the United States District Court for the Southern District of California ruled that under the Copyright Act of 1976, co-writer Victor Willis (Village People's "Cop"/"Naval officer") can recover his share of the copyrights to songs co-written by him.{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/village-people-ymca-lawsuit-victor-willis-321576|title=Village People Songwriter Victor Willis Wins Case Over Termination of 'Y.M.C.A.' Rights|author=Eriq Gardner|date=8 May 2012|work=The Hollywood Reporter}} Willis now owns 33% of his songs.{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-08/village-people-s-former-lead-singer-wins-ymca-copyright-case.html|title=Village People Motorcycle Cop Wins 'YMCA' Copyright Case|author=Edvard Pettersson|date=8 May 2012|work=Bloomberg.com}}
Another music video for the song was made during production of the 1996 comedy movie Down Periscope, featuring the movie's cast and clips from the movie. The music video is shown during the movie's end credits.
Critical reception
According to Billboard Magazine, "In the Navy" is an "upbeat dance effort [which] showcases the group's familiar theme and sound with this comedic spoof on the Navy."{{cite news|title=Top Single Picks|newspaper=Billboard Magazine|access-date=2020-07-08|date=March 10, 1979|page=88|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1979/Billboard%201979-03-10.pdf}} Cash Box said it has "a vibrant beat, powerful horns, sweeping strings and another knock-out campy lyric."{{cite news|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|date=March 10, 1978|page=20|newspaper=Cash Box|accessdate=2022-01-01|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1979/CB-1979-03-10.pdf}} Record World called it a "pounding disco number with a chuckle in the lyrics."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=March 17, 1979|accessdate=2023-02-12|title=Hits of the Week|page=1|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/79/RW-1979-03-17.pdf}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1994)
!Peak |
|---|
| UK Dance (Music Week){{cite magazine|url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1994/Music-Week-1994-05-28.pdf |title= Dance Singles |magazine= Music Week |date= 28 May 1994 |page= 26 |accessdate= 25 April 2021}}
|align="center"|18 |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
Certifications and sales
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|artist=Village People|title=In the Navy|award=Platinum|relyear=1979|certyear=1979|accessdate=December 28, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|type=single|artist=Village People|title=In the Navy|award=Gold|relyear=1979|certyear=1979|source=infodisc|accessdate=December 28, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Village People|title=In the Navy|award=Silver|relyear=1979|certyear=1979|id=3311-1353-1|accessdate=December 28, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Village People|title=In the Navy|award=Gold|relyear=1979|certyear=1979|accessdate=December 28, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Summary}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Worldwide|type=single|artist=Village People|title=In the Navy|nocert=true|relyear=1979|salesamount=2,000,000|salesref={{cite book|title=Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory|url=https://openlibrary.org/works/OL120558W/Million_selling_records_from_the_1900s_to_the_1980s|first=Joseph|last=Murrells|date=1985 |publisher=Arco Pub.|quote=The global tally is estimated at over two million|isbn=0668064595|page=483}}}}
{{Certification Table Bottom}}
In popular culture
In the Black Mirror episode "Loch Henry", characters create a parody of "In the Navy" where they change the song's lyrics as a form of gallows humor while describing a site where murders had taken place. It was also used in The Simpsons episode "Simpson Tide".
References
{{reflist}}
{{Village People}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Casablanca Records singles
Category:Oricon International Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles
Category:song recordings produced by Jacques Morali
Category:songs about the military
Category:songs written by Jacques Morali