In June 2020, the band’s frontman, Victor Willis, publicly objected to the Trump campaign’s use of Village People songs at his rallies…But Willis later had a change of tune, noticing that “Y.M.C.A.” was enjoying renewed success during the 2024 campaign. As Trump kept using the iconic hit at his rallies, the 46-year-old track spent several weeks at the top of Billboard’s hottest-selling dance songs chart.
“The financial benefits have been great as well, as ‘Y.M.C.A.’ is estimated to gross several million dollars since the President-elect’s continued use of the song,” Willis acknowledged… So now, the Village People are ready to look the other way, accepting an invitation from the president-elect’s team to perform at several inauguration events…
Obviously they can choose to sell out if they want. Lots of people are doing that. That said, gaslighting people is offensive. From the article:
"He threatens to sue any media outlet that characterizes “Y.M.C.A.” as a gay anthem.
For him, it was never intended as a political or cultural statement: “When I say ‘hang out with all the boys,’ that was simply 1970s Black slang for Black guys hanging out together for sports, gambling or whatever,” Willis wrote on Facebook in December 2024. “There’s nothing gay about that.”
The Village People took their name from Greenwich Village, a large gay population center in NYC. The group was formed with a target audience of gays who love disco. The Village People were unabashedly gay. Their songs and lyrics reflect this:
Macho Man
I Am What I Am
In the Navy
Y.M.C.A.
And on, and on, and on.
If Willis wants to change the future of his group, great! He cannot change the history and expect us to believe his malarkey. At the end of the day, it’s sad to see people sell their souls for a buck.
Changing the past is not good. At the same time, many believe that change in the present is a good thing. Of course, there are changes one doesn’t agree with which can make those changes a ‘bad thing’. We know for example, that black males have drifted right over the years. Good change or bad change? You make the call.
How very philosophical of you! Change is not implicitly good or bad, it’s the consequences that result from changes that will lend themselves to ethical analysis. It seems like, more and more, people’s idea of what’s “good” is limited to what’s good for them, screw everyone else. I would argue that this doesn’t seem to work well for a society.
Is it good or bad that black males have drifted toward the right? I dunno, it’s too early to tell. When the future is uncertain, we should look to the past.
What does history tell us about supporting corrupt authoritarian leaders? We shouldn’t hold our breath.
I was being so because you feel that Willis sold his soul for a buck. He may have, but it is also possible that his position (‘soul’) changed first. The group and writer get the royalties wherever they are on the political spectrum.
My high school literature teacher. Mr. Laidlaw, taught us that a text (or music) belongs to the author until it is published, then it belongs to the reader (listener). A good reason to be careful with your creativity.
I used to listen to Y.M.C.A. a lot, I really liked it, and I never associated it with homosexuality.
The song may be a gay theme to some but the organization still exists and seems to be doing well in the suburbs. Not a gay organization. You wonder if they have a DEI program.
I think it’s fair to say that Willis wasn’t in Mr. Laidlaw’s class with you. His view is different - “He threatens to sue any media outlet that characterizes “Y.M.C.A.” as a gay anthem.”
The YMCA was a notorious place for gays to hook-up owing in part to their shared accommodations, nude same-sex bathing, and urban locales. The reputation followed the reality, not the other way around.
I went to a lecture on censorship in libraries, a few months ago. During the Q&A, I noted that many books that used to be available as physical copies in the library, are now only available on line, via Hoopla. I asked how secure the online versions are against editing. They aren’t. Books are being edited now, including books whose authors have died, so have no say in the editing. So far, the revised editions are issued a new publication date, and ISBN number, but if you want to read what the author actually wrote, you need to find a hard copy from the 80s, or earlier.
Nice try Goof. Everyone knows that it’s just a song that’s easy to dance to. It’s not based on anything offensive to uptight god-fearing Christians who can’t dance.
Seriously, when I was growing up, it seemed like common knowledge that The Village People were all about gay pride, and that their songs reflected this. The current efforts to reclaim Y.M.C.A. as a song that has nothing to do with homosexuality can’t erase the past.
No disrespect intended - it sounds like you were naïve.
That’s super fair. Again, I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful. I think it’s safe to say USA citizens are very naïve about a lot of things that happen in other countries…and their own country.
No offense taken. Talking about tourists, people who want the world they visit to be just like home should stay home. Travelling the world is how you experience diversity.
Ha! Reminds me of one of my FB groups about moving to Costa Rica. About once a quarter someone asks how they can bring all their guns with them when they move.
