Village People gives Trump OK to play gay anthems 'YMCA,' 'Macho Man' at rallies

NBC News ^

[Impala64ssa]

Village People, the American disco group behind the hits "YMCA," "Macho Man" and "In the Navy," has given the go-ahead for President Donald Trump to plays its songs at events, despite being "inundated" with requests from fans urging the band to block the president's use of the music.

"We have received numerous requests demanding that we prevent or ban President Donald Trump’s use of our songs, particularly 'YMCA' and 'Macho Man,'" the group said in a statement posted to Facebook Monday. "Since our music is not being used for a specific endorsement, the President’s use is 'perfect[ly]' legal."

Trump most recently played Village People's 1978 track "Macho Man," a song that is widely considered a gay anthem, as he entered a rally in Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, on Monday. He has been playing the song at rallies since at least 2018.

Maria Abi-Habib

✔@Abihabib

I never thought I’d be listening to “Macho Macho man” in Gujarat, let alone with a crowd of 120,000 people anywhere in this world. But this was the song that Trump walked out to, for Namaste Trump #modi #namastetrump

82

3:12 AM - Feb 24, 2020

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Some noted the irony of Trump entering to "Macho Man," given his administration's track record on LGBTQ rights and the fact that Village People is rooted in gay culture (the group's name refers to New York City's Greenwich Village, which was known for its large gay population during its formation).

Several policy measures criticized as anti-LGBTQ have either been proposed or enacted under the Trump administration, including the president’s contentious transgender military policy, which bars transgender personnel from serving openly and denies them access to gender-affirming medical care, and the administration's proposed rule to expand the exemption that allows religiously affiliated businesses to ignore anti-discrimination laws. A third of the more than 50 circuit court judges nominated by Trump since he took office nearly three years ago have a “demonstrated history of anti-LGBTQ bias,” according to a recent report from LGBTQ civil rights group Lambda Legal.

do relish the fact that in India, Trump appeared to the Village People doing Macho Man," one person tweeted. "Because, y'know, he's such a gay icon."

Stephanie Grisham

✔@PressSec

 · Feb 24, 2020

“The First Lady and I have just traveled 8,000 miles around the globe to deliver a message to every citizen across this nation: America loves India — America respects India — and Americans will always be true and loyal friends to the Indian people.” @realDonaldTrump https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/1231845576334958592 …

PMO India

✔@PMOIndia

Electric Atmosphere at Motera Stadium as people eagerly wait to welcome President @realDonaldTrump #NamasteTrump

Lula Rodriguez@Lananalula

Trump enters India’s rally to the song Macho, macho man by the Village People? Don’t they know it’s a gay song???? And what happened to the 7 million people he said would welcome him in the streets?

23

7:25 AM - Feb 24, 2020

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Carlabelle@carlabelle73

I find it amusing beyond description that trump entered the stadium in India to the song Macho Man blaring from the sound system. The very stable genius doesn't realize the song is a gay anthem. With his obvious disregard for gay rights, it's another sign of his ignorance.

11

10:27 AM - Feb 25, 2020

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CynthiaLHenson3@CynthiaLHenson3

 · Feb 24, 2020

Replying to @Toonces_Resists

No?? Are you serious? Macho Man - the village people???

 Toonces Resists @Toonces_Resists

Yuppers. I guess trump doesn't realize the Village People were a campy gay group giving a winkie to those in the know. Hello! YMCA, In the Navy, Macho Man. Too funny.

3

5:57 PM - Feb 24, 2020

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Village People, however, maintains that Trump has "remained respectful" in his use of its songs and "has not crossed a line" or suggested that the group endorses him.

"Our music is all-inclusive and certainly everyone is entitled to do the YMCA dance, regardless of their political affiliation," the group wrote. "Having said that, we certainly don't endorse his use as we'd prefer our music be kept out of politics."

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The disco group's decision marks a deviation from that of other artists, including R.E.M., Aerosmith, Queen, Adele and Rihanna, who have demanded that the president not play their music at rallies.

[Impala64ssa]

Tweets at link. So Buttyplug, Don Lemon, Rachel Madcow and Anderson Cooper must be sooo disappointed. Interestingly by all accounts the Village People are completely straight. Their manager from theb70's-80's on the other hand, like a $3 bill. Besides why would Pres Trump have any schlock from REM played at his rallies? 🎶"That's me in the corner, losing my religion, oh no I said too much..."🎶 yeah, that would the crowds pumped up!
Just last week elRushbo talked about how in the early years he created a little controversy using "My City Was Gone" by Chrissy Hynds and the Pretenders, being that Chrissy is a liberal bunny hugger, yet she stated a number of times she has no problem with Rush using her song and there's actually a mutual respect between them in spite of their political and philosophical differences

[TomServo]

Residuals.

[sauropod]

Whoopdie Frickin DOO!!

[Steely Tom]

Bet the YMCA objects.

I guess we don’t have to worry about the Navy though.

[ASA Vet]

YMCA

[fso301]

Can’t say I would ever even tap a foot to either of those two songs.

[Fiji Hill]

I wish Trump't would stop playing the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" because its message contradicts the spirit of MAGA. Instead, he should play The Song of the Dawn, Here Comes the Sun or Good News.

[DesertRhino]

Good for them. When’s the last time the homos actually bought a village people album? 1978?

[jmaroneps37]

Very nice news

[lepton]

Some noted the irony of Trump entering to “Macho Man,” given his administration’s track record on LGBTQ rights

---

Despite the hysteria, he’s really been disinterested in any but the most extreme abuses by the LGB political groups and Obama policies. Were they sane, they’d view him as a moderating force. Of course they aren’t sane, and they don’t want anything short of severe rolling extremism.

[lepton]

Oh, wow. That’s where that bumper music came from.

[Rio]

I am most surprised that “The Village People” is still an entity.

[Texan5]

Most of us near president Trump’s age-60 and up-are more into rock and country music-”You Can’t Always Get What You Want” resonates better than something that was popular before most of us were born-I like his music choices myself...

[Texan5]

When I think of “Here Comes the Sun” it is the Beatles’ song...

[Dilbert San Diego]

I didn’t t know Rush’s bumper music was a real song.

I recall once riding in the car with some people, and they had an FM rock station on. And the music starts, and I was asking them, does this station have Rush Limbaugh at odd hours? Then realized it is an actual song.

Hey, you learn something new every day.

[Gene Eric]

It’s Comcast spinning the news in the most negative way against Trump

NBC, MSNBC are Comcast

[SuperLuminal]

Cultural infringement that causes communist heads to explode even more frequently....

[ican'tbelieveit]

I think Trump has a better track record on alphabet support than Obama. I know they have put their foot down on human right abuses, particularly regarding treatment of gay ppl in a few countries.

[Bonemaker]

Good on the Village People.

[ConservativeStatement]

How about Great White Buffalo by Ted Nugent? Liberal heads would explode and implode at the same time.