Context

This line is from the song "Go West" by The Village People, from the album Go West (1979).

You can thank New York Tribune editor Horace Greeley for proclaiming that the West was the place to be, back in the day. Literally. Over a hundred years later, disco group The Village People borrowed Greeley's famous phrase about Manifest Destiny to top off a hit song about California dreamin'.

This song was an anthem to get those listeners to San Francisco, the land of acceptance. Why would Village People fans want to go to San Francisco? Well, you might need to watch their video to read between the lines.

Where you've heard it

This phrase as attached to Manifest Destiny has been used all over the place. Otherwise, you might have heard a few other bands cover the Village People version. Most notably, the Pet Shop Boys covered it in 1993, bringing it back into the spotlight.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

Disco might be dead, but there's no reason not to dream of universal acceptance and liberation. If you chuck this into a conversation, just know the Greeley origin will come to mind, and that ain't so friendly anymore. Try singing it instead.