Dance Club hit aligns with 40th anniversary celebration of The Village People, including beloved hits “YMCA,” “Macho Man” and “In the Navy.” With “Hard Times” success, Jones is the only group member to achieve a solo hit.
Let the hard times roll! In the midst of the 40th anniversary celebration of the iconic Village People’s chart-topping music career—including global smashes “YMCA,” “Macho Man” and “In the Navy”—the group’s beloved cowboy, Randy Jones, is keeping the fire burning. His solo single “Hard Times” is a top 40 hit on Billboard’s Top Dance Club Play chart.
The dance club anthem, released by New York City-based Young Pals Music, includes an original studio version and eight re-rubs from renowned music mixologists Mark Saunders, Eric Kupper, Tim Cox, Date Night (f/Brannew), A2B (f/Emre Yilmaz), DJ Drew G, Onur Koc, and Peacemode. A 10-track single was released to all major digital outlets in July.
“Hard Times” launched at No. 42, as the second-highest entry among five new songs on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, for the week of August 26, 2017. Adding to the achievement, Jones is the only member of the Village People to score a solo hit.
With Jones’ vocal machismo guiding the joyous uptempo fanfare, “Hard Times” is driven by a flourish of acoustic guitars, pounding percussion and a chorus of angelic voices, alongside an empowering message that tough times may come and go, but with the will to win, you can always land “on the right line.”
Amid Jones’ own five-decade career, the renowned vocalist, film star, philanthropist—and all-round nice guy—has helped sell 100 million singles/albums and fostered a quarter billion views on YouTube, thanks to the Village People’s beloved catalog of disco songs. Add to that 75 Gold and Platinum record certificates, the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine and a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, alongside a co-starring role in the 1980 musical comedy film “Can’t Stop the Music,” directed by Nancy Walker—and also starring (then) Bruce Jenner.
Continuing a career as an actor, singer and dancer, he has also released a number of solo CDs, including most recently, “Ticket to the World,” “Your Disco Needs You!” and in 2016, “Mister Right.” In 2018, he is slated to release a new full-length project, tentatively titled “Still Making Noise.”
