Let’s Go to the YMCA

The recent passing of Victor Willis, lead singer and "the Cop" of the 1970s group Village People, got me thinking about Y.M.C.A.—their big hit—and the communal living building (above) for macho and other men in Chelsea that inspired the song. The McBurney YMCA was located here on W. 23rd Street from 1904–2002, as confirmed by the lettering on the portico. It’s now luxury condos.

Go deeper with Village People’s cringe-worthy, can’t-look-away, 1978 Y.M.C.A. music video. It prominently features the building’s exterior, along with the hideous old West Side Highway and Gansevoort Peninsula sanitation depot, which have mercifully transformed into Hudson River Park and Manhattan’s first beach.

I could go on, but there are walking tours for that! Village People: The Ultimate Influencers (Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, Jimi Hendrix and others), and High Line, Meatpacking & Little Island (about the transformation of these fabulous Village sites) are fun, informative, and also led by a Village person.

George Washington Schlepped Here

Indeed, our first president made his way to St. Paul’s Chapel (above) in 1789 following his first inauguration a few blocks away on Wall Street. Opened in 1766, it is one of New York’s oldest buildings and the city’s oldest continuously operating church. And with the 250th birthday of the United States at hand, we’re thankful this little miracle survived both the Great Fire of 1776, which destroyed most of the surrounding structures, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, which caused the collapse of the Twin Towers and other buildings just one block away.

Speaking of 1776, the Freedom Tower watching over Paul is 1,776 feet high, including the antenna, making it the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

Bob Dylan Shopped Here

Much has changed in NYC’s Greenwich Village since the Village People, George Washington, and Bob Dylan hung out in this popular corner of Manhattan. Thankfully, one place that hasn’t changed is the Music Inn, a guitar and record shop that still looks, feels, and smells like 1958, when it first opened. Even better is the tiny performance space down an impossibly narrow, winding staircase in the basement. Every Thursday at 8 p.m., they host an open mic night featuring musicians, comics, poets, and other performers.

Walk With Me

Get to know New York City through its incredible history, people, and neighborhoods. I lead small private NYC walking tours and curated experiences for visitors, work teams, special events, New Yorkers, and more—along with inside-track recommendations for special spots to dine, drink, and lounge like a local. Newsletter recipients and your friends receive 10% off tours, so cclick here for tour options, and let’s create an amazing NYC walk and experience!

Enjoy Amazing NYC Songs

I created this Apple Music playlist of tunes that tell New York stories from Dylan, Hamilton, Joni, JAY-Z, Sinatra, Sting, two Simons and many more. See and stream it for free here and subscribe when you’re there so it will automatically update when songs are added.

The playlist’s cover photo (above) was taken on the exact spot where Bob Dylan and Suze Rotolo were photographed for his 1963 breakthrough album The Freewhellin’ Bob Dylan.