Go West (song)

1979 single by Village People
the song by Village People also recorded by Pet Shop Boys

"Go West" is a song by American disco group Village People, released in June 1979 by Casablanca Records as the second single from their fourth studio album of the same name (1979). The song was written by Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo and lead singer Victor Willis, while Morali produced it. It was successful in the disco scene during the late 1970s and a top 20 hit in Belgium, Ireland and the UK. "Go West" found further success when it was covered in 1993 by English synth pop duo Pet Shop Boys.

The song's title is attributed to the 19th century quote "Go West, young man" commonly attributed to the American newspaper editor Horace Greeley, a rallying cry for the colonization of the American West, but also an invitation to pursue one's own dreams and individuality. The melody resembles that of the State Anthem of the Soviet Union (and later National anthem of Russia) composed by Alexander Alexandrov. Both the 7″ and 12″ versions of the song were subsequently collected on various greatest hits albums, including a 1997 radio remix which was made in the wake of the success of Pet Shop Boys' 1993 version. The song does share some melodic elements with "Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart" by Henry Smith and later covered by Don Moen. Billboard said that "Having turned tongue in cheek plugs for the YMCA and the Navy into top three singles, pop's top jinglesmiths here wax enthusiastic about the wide open spaces of the West. Record World said that "the disco pop hook is surrounded by a resounding harmony chorus accentuated by full bodied production." Classic Rock History critic Brian Kachejian rated it the Village People's 6th greatest song.

On May 7, 2012, in a landmark ruling in accordance with the Copyright Act of 1976, Victor Willis was awarded 33% of the copyright to "Go West" and other Village People hits.

In 1992, when Pet Shop Boys were asked by Derek Jarman to perform at an AIDS charity event at The Haçienda nightclub in Manchester, Chris Lowe of the duo selected "Go West" as the song they would perform. Though singer Neil Tennant was unable to remember the lyrics during that performance, the two decided to record it as a single.

The original single version of the song, set for an earlier release in 1992 as a non album single, was never used. However, both its extended dance mix, and its similarly unreleased B side "Forever in Love" (an edited version was released on Very Relentless in 1993), were eventually released on the 2001 expanded reissue of Very. Instead, the song was released in a different version on September 6, 1993, as the second single from Very, and featuring the B side "Shameless". This release included remixes by Brothers in Rhythm, Farley & Heller, Kevin Saunderson, and Mark Stent. The single peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and number one in Finland, Germany and Iceland. The single also reached number one in Ireland, becoming the last of the duo's four Irish number one singles to date, and topped the US Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart.

The new version enhances the basis of the original's chord progression in Pachelbel's Canon, bringing the theme to the forefront at the opening of the song. The song also underwent extensive reworking of its instrumental tracks, with producers Stephen Hague and Mark Stent credited for the mixing, as well as an all male Broadway choir arranged by Richard Niles (said by Tennant to be inspired by the song "There Is Nothing Like a Dame" from the Broadway musical South Pacific).

Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic felt the song is a "bizarrely moving" cover. Larry Flick from Billboard commented, "Nothing better captures the tone of bittersweet joy and drama that permeates Very than PSB's cover of the Village People nugget, 'Go West'. Covered with thick layers of pillowy synths, the track swaps the male bonding vibe of the original with a wistful demeanor that's lined with a pensive subtext of loss". In the single review, he described it as a "gorgeous reading", adding that Neil Tennant "gives the happy, male bonding lyrics a wistful, almost melancholy edge—an odd but successful contrast to the fist waving chants at the chorus". Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report deemed it an "uptempo, melodic pop winner". Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian constated that "Can You Forgive Her?" and "Go West" "are among the best singles of the year, the latter distinguishing itself by making the Village People original seem flagrantly heterosexual." A reviewer from Lennox Herald declared it as a "90s update" of the disco anthem, and an "outside bet for the top spot". Liverpool Echo felt it's the "funniest thing they've done for ages", noting that it "comes complete with butch male chorus contrasting with the Pet Shop Boys' sweet and innocent vocals." In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton remarked that the duo's cover "is affectionate rather than mocking but no less brilliant for it with Male Voice Choirs and Gospel Singers adding to what has to be one of the singles of the year." Everett True from Melody Maker named it Single of the Week, saying, "'Go West' is pure essence of Pet Shop Boys; an astoundingly immoderate cover [ ] which manages the almost unbelievable feat of being camper than the original." Pan European magazine Music & Media wrote, "The emperors of synth pop are backed by a Cossack choir. Blue helmets replace the Indian head dress and stetson, worn by the original singers of the song, the Village People." John Harris of NME named it "Complete Genius Single of the Week", and considered it a song that "combines the ostentatious playfulness last mastered by the KLF with the Pet Shop Boys' velvet lined sumptuousness and an immeasurable poignancy". Reading Evening Post remarked that "Seagulls and strings usher" in this version, adding that "it's insistent and instantly catchy, and brings to mind the song "YMCA" even without knowing who originally sang this track." They concluded that "Go West" "will obviously be a hit". Gavin Reeve from Smash Hits gave it two out of five, commenting, "Neil and Chris have dug up an old Village People hit from the '70s and changed it from a singalong disco number to a singalong disco number." Jonathan Bernstein from Spin wrote, "It should be camp, ridiculous, and overblown. It is. But it's also curiously affecting. Tennant's wistful reading of the song's yearning for acceptance turns laughter at the surrounding bombast into a lump in the throat. You can only keep it bottled up for so long." David Petrilla from The Weekender said it "sounds like the Village People meet Al Stewart", adding, "expect to start marching in place and finding your arms up in the air when you hear it."

The accompanying music video for "Go West" was directed by British director Howard Greenhalgh and relies heavily on computer generated imagery, like all of his videos for the Very singles. It begins with a red Statue of Liberty, and then depicts a grey city where the communist domination is evident on the basis of Soviet imagery such as red stars and red flags, the Yuri Gagarin Monument (a spaceman on a column) and the Monument to the Conquerors of Space (a rocket on a spire like pedestal). Troops of identical Soviet men march up a staircase stretching into the clouds, seemingly toward a Western society, with the Statue of Liberty, now appearing as a black diva looming in the distance (played by backing vocalist Sylvia Mason James). Tennant and Lowe appear throughout; Tennant carries a blue and yellow striped arrow staff, and Lowe travels on a flying surfboard. Occasional live action shots of Soviet iconography appear; in one Tennant and Lowe appear in their costumes, walking across Red Square. The video received heavy rotation on MTV Europe in November 1993 and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video in 1995, losing to "Love Is Strong" by The Rolling Stones. The "Go West" costumes were parodied in the video for their later 2006 single, "I'm with Stupid".

+ Release dates and formats for "Go West" Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref. (Reference) United Kingdom September 6, 1993 7 inch vinyl, 12 inch vinyl, CD, cassette Parlophone

German metal band JBO covered the song on their 1997 Album laut (loud), entitled "Ein Fest" (a party), mocking the song. Remixed Eurodance versions of the song have appeared on the Dancemania series albums, including Dancemania SPEED 4 issued in 2000. Clubringer covered the song in 2003 with a trance CD single released in Poland. Four versions of the song were created. The Swedish PSB cover band West End Girls released their version of the song in January 2006. In 2007, classical singer Rhydian performed the song on The X Factor, surrounded by men in sailor outfits. Austrian baritone singer Patrizio Buanne used the notes and changed its lyrics in the song "Stand Up (Champions Theme)", which was included in some versions of his 2006 album Forever Begins Tonight. German pop singer Mickie Krause covered the song on his 2008 album 10 Jahre – Gute Unterhaltung entitled "Orange trägt nur die Müllabfuhr". On the occasion of the UEFA Euro 2008 football championship, he published the chorus melody that directed against the Netherlands' abusive song, alluding to the traditional orange jersey of the Netherlands national football team. British comedy band The Wurzels covered the song on their 2010 album A Load More Bullocks. Osem, the Israeli food giant, created a commercial for its ketchup based on the Pet Shop Boys video clip and song version a short time after the single was released. Hermes House Band released a version in 2006. Bulgarian comedy band Zamunda Banana Band's "Назад към природата" ("Back to Nature") is a parody of "Go West". The Japanese pop group Beyooooonds covered the song on their debut single, titled "Go Waist". Beyooooonds interprets "Go West" as a waist exercise song. British retailer GO Outdoors parody the song in a 2016 advert, altering the lyric "Go west" to "Go there".

The Village People version of "Go West" features in the film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and in the stage musical adaptation as the three lead characters leave Sydney for Alice Springs (which lies just over 2,000 kilometres north west of Sydney as the crow flies). The Pet Shop Boys version of the song is played in the first and last scenes of award winning Chinese director Jia Zhangke's film Mountains May Depart (2015). In many of Jia's films, the 'turn' China has made towards 'the West' is a central theme – Mountains May Depart is no exception. Also, the song serves as a unifying element: it connects the first part of the film (set in 1999) to the final scene (set in 2025), creating a poignant effect which several critics have praised; David Rooney of the Hollywood Reporter called the ending "a beautiful concluding sequence that reaffirms the film's aching depth of feeling and extraordinary sense of place". In 1998, Ambrosia rewrote their lyrics for an advertising jingle for an advertising campaign to promote their products most notably their rice pudding given their products come from the West Country. Sharwood's used the melody for an advertising jingle for an advertising campaign for their products from 2006 to 2008, substituting "Go West" for "Go East". In 2021, Highways England used the melody in a public information film about what to do in the event of getting into difficulty on the motorway (pulling up left on the hard shoulder and disembarking the vehicle on the left hand side); the campaign was aptly named "Go Left".