Recording by The Village People, Tina Turner, Dusty Springfield and many others have been deemed culturally significant and added to the official record of the US Library of Congress.
The Village People’s 1978 hit Y.M.C.A. has been acknowledged as a culturally important track. The song which has been performed with its dance moves all over the world for over 40 years was described as an American cultural phenomenon that is as likely to be heard at a Midwestern prom as it is at New York City’s annual Gay Pride parade.”
The band’s lead singer Victor Willis said he had no idea the song would have such a legacy.
“I had no idea when we wrote ‘Y.M.C.A.’ that it would become one of the most iconic songs in the world, and a fixture at almost every wedding, birthday party, bar mitzvah and sporting event.” Willis said.
Willis wrote the song alongside producer Jacques Morali who died of an AIDS related illness in 1991.
Also added to the official register this year is Dusty Springfield’s highly acclaimed album Dusty in Memphis.
By 1968, London-born singer Dusty Springfield was already a success in the United Kingdom when she came to America to record Dusty in Memphis, which would become the defining album of her career.
Even before “Memphis,” Springfield had strong ties to American music having released hits written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David as well as Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Three legendary producers were involved in the sessions: Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd.
Tina Turner’s comeback album Private Dancer has also been recognised. Released in 1984 the record saw Turner’s career reinvented following her divorce from husband Ike Turner several years earlier.
The album saw Turner work with a variety of producers including Martin Ware and Ian Marsh, the duo behind the Human League and Heaven 17, Rupert Hine and Australian producer Terry Britten.
The album features many new songs written by well-known song writers and several covers. The title track was written by Mark Knoffler from Dire Straits, while songwriters Holly Knight, Mike Chapman and Nicky Chin contributed Better Be Good to Me. The record also ilcudes songs previously released by The Beatles, Ann Peebles, and Al Green.
See the full list of what’s been added to the US Library of Congress.
