- published: 29 Jun 2016
- views: 516632
An ethnic group is a group of people who share a common ethnicity. That is, its members identify with each other through a common heritage, consisting of a common culture, including a shared language or dialect. The group's ethos or ideology may also stress common ancestry, religion, or race.
The process that results in the emergence of an ethnicity is called ethnogenesis.
The terms ethnicity and ethnic group are derived from the Greek word ἔθνος ethnos, normally translated as "nation". The terms refer currently to people thought to have common ancestry who share a distinctive culture.
Herodotus is the first who stated the main characteristics of ethnicity in the 5th century BC, with his famous account of what defines Greek identity, where he lists kinship (Greek: ὅμαιμον - homaimon, "of the same blood"), language (Greek: ὁμόγλωσσον - homoglōsson, "speaking the same language"), cults and customs (Greek: ὁμότροπον - homotropon, "of the same habits or life").
The term "ethnic" and related forms from the 14th through the middle of the 19th century were used in English in the meaning of "pagan, heathen", as ethnikos (Greek: ἐθνικός, literally "national") was used as the LXX translation of Hebrew goyim "the nations, non-Hebrews, non-Jews".
Village People is a concept disco group that formed in the United States in 1977, well known for their on-stage costumes depicting American cultural stereotypes, as well as their catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics.
Originally created to target disco's gay audience by featuring popular gay fantasy personas, the band's popularity quickly brought them into the mainstream. Village People scored a number of disco and dance hits, including their trademark "Macho Man", "Go West", the classic club medley of "San Francisco (You've Got Me) / In Hollywood (Everybody is a Star)", "In the Navy", "Can't Stop the Music", and their biggest hit, "Y.M.C.A.".
They have sold upwards of 100 million records world-wide.
The group was the creation of Jacques Morali, a French musical composer. He had written a few dance tunes when he was given a demo tape recorded by singer/actor Victor Willis. Morali approached Willis and told him, "I had a dream that you sang lead on my album and it went very, very big". Willis agreed to sing on the first album, Village People.
Want it to be like a fairytale
Where the boy gets the girl in a ponytail
Like in the movies there's always a happy ending
So lets get away on a motorship
We can go on a beach we can take a dip
And it's always gonna be like this
We're happy together
(Chorus):
I get so excited and I just can't hide it
I get so excited and I just can't hide it
Pick up the phone my heart starts pumping
Voice in my head tells me this is something
I get so excited with you in my world
Want it to be like a dream come true
Holding hands in the dark, only me and you
Like in the movies - there's always a happy ending
So lets get away on a motorship
We can go on a beach we can take a dip
And it's always gonna be like this
We're happy together