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YMCA lyricist says piece is not a 'gay anthem' and threatens to sue outlets who report it as such
justthenews.com ^ | Published: December 2, 2024 9:03pm | By Misty Severi

Posted on 01/25/2025 5:15:57 AM PST by airdalechief

The songwriter of the Village People's hit song "Y.M.C.A." spoke out on Monday against the idea that the song is a "gay anthem," and threatened to sue news outlets in January that continue to describe it as such.

Willis said he was not offended that it has been labeled as a gay anthem but warned people not to make assumptions. News outlets who do label it a "gay anthem" in January could start facing legal action.

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


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: music; trumpmas; villagepeople; ymca
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The song has seen a surge in popularity after President Donald Trump used the music to dance to at his campaign rallies. Trump has been playing the song since 2020.

Victor Willis, who wrote the song's lyrics, defended Trump's use of the music at his rallies and said he asked the former president to stop using it because his use became a "nuisance," after Willis received over a thousand complaints about it, NBC News reported. But Willis said Trump obtained a political use license for the song which gives him the legal right to play it, and Willis decided not to pull the license.

The songwriter also noted that there has been an increase in sales of the music since Trump started playing the song more regularly at his rallies. Trump's dancing to the song has gone viral, and even inspired mimicry from professional athletes, including players in the NFL.

1 posted on 01/25/2025 5:15:57 AM PST by airdalechief
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To: airdalechief

Whatever it was written as, it has become very popular with the male alternative lifestyle crowd. The only song more popular with gay men than “YMCA” is “It’s Raining Men” by the Weather Girls.

CC


2 posted on 01/25/2025 5:23:31 AM PST by Celtic Conservative (My cats are more amusing than 200 channels worth of TV.)
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To: Celtic Conservative

...Or so I’ve been told.

CC


3 posted on 01/25/2025 5:24:16 AM PST by Celtic Conservative (My cats are more amusing than 200 channels worth of TV.)
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To: Celtic Conservative

And here I thought it would be something by Judy Garland or Bette Midler. Or Johnny Mathis.


4 posted on 01/25/2025 5:36:27 AM PST by Bernard (Issue an annual budget. And Issue a federal government balance sheet. Let's see what we got.)
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To: airdalechief

He doesn’t get to decide that. If Group X decides a song is their anthem it is. The writer doesn’t get a vote. A song doesn’t have to be about the people who decide it’s their anthem. They just have to like it. YMCA is a gay anthem. It just is.


5 posted on 01/25/2025 5:39:19 AM PST by discostu (like a dog being shown a card trick)
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To: airdalechief

He may not have written it for that purpose, but it has been adopted as such by a certain community.


6 posted on 01/25/2025 5:41:48 AM PST by MortMan (Charter member of AAAAA - American Association Against Alliteration Abuse)
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To: airdalechief

That horse has been let out of the barn a long long time ago.


7 posted on 01/25/2025 5:44:35 AM PST by lee martell
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To: lee martell
My favorite.


8 posted on 01/25/2025 5:51:33 AM PST by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
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To: billorites

The headdress is so delightfully politically incorrect.


9 posted on 01/25/2025 5:54:04 AM PST by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
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To: airdalechief

Not only the Village People but there is a gay subtext to the Y that goes back over a century apparently. All I remember growing up was that we went to the YWCA for free swims. It was associated with athletics/fitness.


10 posted on 01/25/2025 5:54:43 AM PST by erlayman (E )
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To: Bernard

Those probably would’ve been good choices at one time. It’s a generational thing.🤨

CC


11 posted on 01/25/2025 6:00:19 AM PST by Celtic Conservative (My cats are more amusing than 200 channels worth of TV.)
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To: discostu

I’ll bet it is played in more sports arenas than it is in queer bars. I see it as a sports anthem played to entertain the crowd while the dumbass referees and umpires try to figure out what call to make.


12 posted on 01/25/2025 6:09:21 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (For a good time, call Lisa M. 123-4567)
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To: airdalechief

I think that horse has already left the barn. Too late now.


13 posted on 01/25/2025 6:10:34 AM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: FlingWingFlyer

That’s not a sports anthem. That’s just noise. We Will Rock You is a sports anthem. YMCA gets played at arenas because it has an audience participation portion. Like the Chicken Dance. Keep the fans engaged.


14 posted on 01/25/2025 6:12:35 AM PST by discostu (like a dog being shown a card trick)
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To: airdalechief

Amateur “sexperts” need to learn a thing or two.


15 posted on 01/25/2025 6:25:48 AM PST by equaviator (If 60 is the new 40 then 35 must be the new 15.)
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To: MortMan

“He may not have written it for that purpose, but it has been adopted as such by a certain community.”

If he can sue for that, perhaps God can sue to get the rainbow back from gay culture, too.


16 posted on 01/25/2025 6:30:25 AM PST by John Milner (Marching for Peace is like breathing for food.)
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To: airdalechief

Growing up everyone and their brother thought that the group and song was gay lol


17 posted on 01/25/2025 6:31:44 AM PST by Bob434
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To: Celtic Conservative

LOL, ahem, did ya see that bears game last week? Lol


18 posted on 01/25/2025 6:34:30 AM PST by Bob434
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To: John Milner

Would,love to see/hear pres Trump say “and further, we are taking back the rainbow! The rainbow was God’s gift to mankind, his promise that He would not destroy the earth by flood ever again, and we will not stand to have that symbol of God’s promise to the world taken over by a deviant immoral lifestyle choice that dishonor God and his promise!”


19 posted on 01/25/2025 6:37:44 AM PST by Bob434
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To: airdalechief

The song came out in 1978 and we all knew that it would one day become the theme song of a republican president.

I remember those water cooler conversations, “yep, the republicans are going to love this”.


20 posted on 01/25/2025 6:41:17 AM PST by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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