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Village People front man says ‘YMCA’ isn’t a gay anthem – and he’ll sue anyone who disagrees
CNN ^ | December 6, 2024 | Lianne Kolirin

Posted on 12/06/2024 3:13:38 PM PST by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

The Village People’s lyricist and lead singer has hit out at the “false assumption” that the band’s biggest hit, “YMCA,” is a “gay anthem.”

Victor Willis, who headed up the 1970s disco band and wrote the song with producer Jacques Morali, has taken to social media to insist that it was not written with the gay community in mind – and that those who suggest otherwise could soon face legal action.

“There’s been a lot of talk, especially of late, that Y.M.C.A. is somehow a gay anthem,” Willis, who wrote the lyrics for the 1978 hit, said on Facebook on Monday. “As I’ve said numerous times in the past, that is a false assumption based on the fact that my writing partner was gay, and some (not all) of Village People were gay, and that the first Village People album was totally about gay life.

“This assumption is also based on the fact that the YMCA was apparently being used as some sort of gay hangout and since one of the writers was gay and some of the Village People are gay, the song must be a message to gay people. To that I say once again, get your minds out of the gutter. It is not.”

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: gay; lgbt; villagepeople; ymca
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I don't think Trunp considers it gay, but I guess some do.
1 posted on 12/06/2024 3:13:38 PM PST by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

Dancing around in gay cosplay for a decade did lend credence to the gay anthem but I think he is being honest about it. How dare I assume a song’s gender?


2 posted on 12/06/2024 3:15:12 PM PST by wildcard_redneck
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

It was made a “gay anthem” after its release.

Did they complain about that before now?


3 posted on 12/06/2024 3:15:32 PM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas
“As I've said numerous times in the past, that is a false assumption based on the fact that my writing partner was gay, and some (not all) of Village People were gay, and that the first Village People album was totally about gay life.
“This assumption is also based on the fact that the YMCA was apparently being used as some sort of gay hangout and since one of the writers was gay and some of the Village People are gay, the song must be a message to gay people. To that I say once again, get your minds out of the gutter. It is not.”

Ignore all the faggotry. The song has nothing to do with encouraging young meat to chose as their residence a place well know for sodomy.

Sure bud.

4 posted on 12/06/2024 3:16:54 PM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Not my circus. Not my monkeys. But I can pick out the clowns at 100 yards.)
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

Anyone who’s been to a YMCA knows that the song is DEAD-ON.


5 posted on 12/06/2024 3:17:02 PM PST by BobL
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

Is a Babylon Bee story ?!
It’s about as homosexual as can be.


6 posted on 12/06/2024 3:18:11 PM PST by HereInTheHeartland (Have you seen Joe Biden's picture on a milk carton?)
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

While in the steam room at the Y a guy came in, stood by the door, gave me a big smile, dropped off his towel and started doing his naked exercises.

I was trapped and looked like a cooked lobster when he finally figured out I wasn’t interested and left.

So yes it’s gay.


7 posted on 12/06/2024 3:18:28 PM PST by packagingguy
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To: 9YearLurker

I’m confused.

We’re supposed to celebrate homosexuality and other assorted diverse peoples.

So considering that many consider this song to be a gay anthem, isn’t it anti gay bigotry and hate, to say it isn’t such an anthem?


8 posted on 12/06/2024 3:18:54 PM PST by Dilbert San Diego
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To: Dilbert San Diego

It has been repurposed. Whenever I hear it now, I think of Trump and MAGA.


9 posted on 12/06/2024 3:19:45 PM PST by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are not longer being issued, but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere)
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To: BobL

“ Anyone who’s been to a YMCA knows that the song is DEAD-ON.”

I take you at your word that you know.


10 posted on 12/06/2024 3:20:18 PM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

Village People always seemed gay to me. YMCA and Macho Man screamed gay anthem.


11 posted on 12/06/2024 3:20:19 PM PST by Blue Highway
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

So he is JUST NOW complaining? This has been made fun of as a gay song since the beginning.


12 posted on 12/06/2024 3:21:00 PM PST by RummyChick
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To: BobL

Isn’t that statement a bit too broad? Lumping all YMCAs into this stereotype when one or two might have had it?


13 posted on 12/06/2024 3:23:05 PM PST by nwrep
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

We stole it fair and square.


14 posted on 12/06/2024 3:24:24 PM PST by Billthedrill
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

Having your mind in the gutter means you’re gay? Braking news.


15 posted on 12/06/2024 3:29:55 PM PST by Libloather (Why do climate change hoax deniers live in mansions on the beach?)
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

“Gay” doesn’t mean homosexual, and I’ll sue anyone that disagrees.


16 posted on 12/06/2024 3:31:07 PM PST by gundog (It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
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To: nwrep

“Isn’t that statement a bit too broad? Lumping all YMCAs into this stereotype when one or two might have had it?”

Actually, that song has nothing to do with gays (assuming that’s what you’re referring to).


17 posted on 12/06/2024 3:31:56 PM PST by BobL
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

The guy is senile or nuts.

The “village” in “Village People” is Greenwich Village in New York City. It was one of the first large gay communities in the USA.

Ever read the Village Voice newspaper?

In the late 1970’s, I used to chaperone a high school student church group to NYC for a program called Operation Eye Opener. We stayed at a church on Christopher Street in the Village. It sure was an eye opener. The entire community was openly gay.

We would bring in drug addicts to talk to the kids. We toured the Bowery, stepping over passed out drunks on the sidewalk who were missing limbs from the severe frostbite resulting from passing out drunk in the winter.

We also would go to the top of the World Trade Center, usually around sunset. The dangers became too great so we stopped doing it in 1979.

The reason I knew of the Village people band in 1977/early 1978 is that I was at MIT and attended a fundraiser for MS in the MIT Gym. The Village people were unknown at the time and they were the band for the fundraiser. Their stage was only about a foot high and everyone got on stage and danced with them. You would never forget seeing a band like that. The whole theme was very gay.

Remember, this was the Disco Dance era.


18 posted on 12/06/2024 3:35:29 PM PST by tired&retired (Blessings )
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To: tired&retired
  1. A lawsuit based on whether the song is "gay" would be nonsense.
  2. Those who get royalties from the song are laughing all the way to the bank

19 posted on 12/06/2024 3:43:28 PM PST by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (Re-imagine the media!)
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To: tired&retired

Wow, quite the story. What was your major at MIT if I may ask.


20 posted on 12/06/2024 3:45:18 PM PST by nwrep
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