this is why the “king of disco” Jacques Morali, co-producer of the Village People, rests in Vence, in the Alpes-Maritimes

The Frenchman’s ashes are stored in the Bosco tomb. France 3 Côte d’Azur was able to contact several members of the Morali/Bosco family. But surprisingly, while “YMCA” was intended to be a gay anthem, Serge Morali sees no controversy in Donald Trump using the work of his brother Jacques, quite the contrary.

It is not only in Père-Lachaise that you can find the tombs of great names. In Vence (Alpes-Maritimes), in the central cemetery, rests one of the co-founders of the disco music group “Village People”, known worldwide for their hit “YMCA”, and whose members will perform during the ceremony. inauguration of Donald Trump this Monday, January 20.

This is Jacques Morali, a French songwriter born in 1947. He spent a large part of his life and most of his career in the United States, co-composing for stars like Dalida, with whom “he was very friendly“, or Régine for example.

But what is less known is that Jacques Morali spent his childhood in the Alpes-Maritimes, in Vence.

The mother of Jacques Morali and his big brother Serge arrived in Vence.and married a few years later with Monsieur Bosco, who ran a large grocery store in the town, La Marseillaise“, proudly tell 87-year-old Pierra Bosco, married Bellucci, and her daughter Rossana. Pierra is the niece of Monsieur Bosco, the father-in-law of Jacques Morali.

“They all lived together“, says Rossanna, who speaks of a “family of heart“. “It was in Vence that he learned to play the organ and piano, when he was 8-9 years old.“, throughout his primary education.

This learning led Jacques Morali to have “a real relationship with Vence“, confirms his big brother Serge Morali today. Proof of his desire for music, the latter remembers that, around the age of 14 in the early 1960s, “he went alone to the Cannes conservatory to take a competitive exam, taking the bus. My mother didn’t know about it and he won a prize at the conservatory and an article in the newspaper!“

Finally, in 1962, the Morali “all went to live in Paris“, Pierra still remembers. Jacques began to compose, notably for the Crazy Horse cabaret. Then came the time to leave for America, in Philadelphia, shortly after meeting the producer Henri Belolo.

Success followed, and “Village People” was one of the biggest. “Auntie often took the Concorde to join him in the United States“, remembers Rossana Bellucci, whose family remained very close to the Moralis despite the distance.

Despite everything, Pierra Bellucci remembers that, subsequently, “Jacques was still with his mother a lot, in Neuilly“. She herself had been invited there several times, remembering “all gold records displayed“. In the past, “he even offered us the chance to go see his show at Crazy Horse“, she adds with pride.

This happiness will unfortunately not last long. In the mid-1980s, after having composed dozens of titles, such as “I Love America” ​​for Patrick Juvet, Jacques Morali, who did not hide his homosexuality, was contaminated by HIV, weakening him from year to year.

He then decided to return to Vence for a while, which he did twice. “When he found out he was sentenced, he told me that he really had many good memories of his childhood here“.

He told me: ‘my best memories are when I learned the organ at the church in Vence!’

Pierra Bellucci, niece of Jacques Morali’s father

at France 3 Côte d’Azur

Finally, Jacques Morali died in Neuilly in 1991, at the age of only 44. His mother, with whom he maintained a very strong bond, kept his ashes at home until her own death in 1997.

“Qhen Jacques’ mother died, they brought her ashes back to him too“, relates Pierra Bellucci, to disperse them both around the tomb of the Boscos, their second family.

This explains why we can still see, in the Vence cemetery on the Bosco grave, a plaque in memory of Jacques, placed by his brother. A plaque which indicates a death at 47 years old, instead of 44, but Serge Morali himself today admits to having “probably wrong date when making it“.

Jacques Morali’s co-creations, “Village People” and his hit “YMCA”, recently returned to the news, after Donald Trump made it his anthem. But the recovery of his brother’s work by the new American president does not seem to particularly bother Serge, who has “still have rights, today, as a composer“. On the contrary.

I think Trump understood pretty well that Jacques Morali wanted a group that represented America.

Serge Morali, brother of Jacques Morali

at France 3 Côte d’Azur

Rather than the homosexual imagery reflected by the Village People group, Serge Morali sees it as “a representation of America“that his brother adored, with proof”the title I Love America which he did with Patrick Juvet“, according to him. He also regularly welcomes this recovery of his brother’s work by Donald Trump on social networks.

Today, Serge Morali is looking for “a writer to tell the life of the king of disco“, “my brother’s life from Vence until the end, which is very sad“. He is already considering as a title: “Once upon a time there was the king of disco“.