Original ‘YMCA’ Singer Explains Why He Let Trump Use the Song, Answers ‘Gay Anthem’ Claims
Victor Willis, the singer and co-writer of the iconic song “Y.M.C.A.” by the Village People, recently discussed his decision to allow Donald Trump to use the song at his campaign events. In a post, he explained that as 2020, he received numerous complaints about Trump’s use of the song, prompting him to request a halt. However, the Trump campaign had obtained a political use license, which allowed them to keep using it legally.
despite the initial objections from some fans, willis stated that he felt sympathy toward Trump, believing the former president genuinely enjoyed the song. Consequently, he chose not to revoke the license, especially as many other artists were withdrawing their music from Trump’s rallies. Notably, he pointed out that “Y.M.C.A.” has seen meaningful financial benefits from its association with Trump, even reaching number one on Billboard charts for the first time as its release.
Willis also addressed claims that “Y.M.C.A.” is a gay anthem. He vehemently denied these notions, attributing them to misunderstandings related to the backgrounds of some band members and the song’s association with the YMCA as a hangout for gay individuals. Willis emphasized that the lyrics were meant to celebrate camaraderie and friendship rather than a specific sexual orientation, clarifying that the song appeals broadly to all audiences, including Trump supporters. He concluded that labeling it a gay anthem could be damaging to its legacy.
“Y.M.C.A.” singer and co-writer Victor Willis of the band Village People revealed why he allowed President-elect Donald Trump to continue to use the song. He also dispelled the notion that it is a gay anthem.
In a Monday post, he noted that he wrote 100 percent of the lyrics for the popular 1978 disco song, while the late French music producer Jacques Morali wrote the music.
“Since 2020, I’ve received over a thousand complaints about President Elect Trump’s use of Y.M.C.A. With that many complaints, I decided to ask the President Elect to stop using Y.M.C.A. because his use had become a nuisance to me,” Willis wrote.
“However, the use continued because the Trump campaign knew they had obtained a political use license from BMI and absent that license being terminated, they had every right to continue using Y.M.C.A. And they did,” he continued. BMI enforces music performance rights.
When other artists began withdrawing Trump’s right to use their songs at his rallies, Willis recounted that he told his wife, who is the Village People’s manager, that Trump seemed to genuinely like “Y.M.C.A.”
“As such, I simply didn’t have the heart to prevent his continued use of my song in the face of so many artists withdrawing his use of their material,” he explained.
Victor Willis, the singer behind YMCA, has released a message thanking President Trump for dancing to his song. He said the song has “benefited greatly” from Trump’s use.
Willis also reiterated that the song is not a gay anthem and may sue news outlets calling it gay.
“Sadly,… pic.twitter.com/Yx5QFmJIyw
— George (@BehizyTweets) December 3, 2024
“So I told my wife to inform BMI to not withdraw the Trump campaign political use license,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Willis’s French partners, who apparently own Morali’s rights to the song, also agreed not to get involved.
And it’s been a financial windfall for all involved, according to Willis.
“Y.M.C.A. has benefited greatly from use by the President Elect. For example, Y.M.C.A. was stuck at #2 on the Billboard chart prior to the President Elect’s use,” he pointed out. “Y.M.C.A.”peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1979.
“However, the song finally made it to #1 on a Billboard chart after over 45 years (and held on to #1 for two weeks) due to the President Elect’s use,” Willis wrote.
Yahoo Entertainment reported “Y.M.C.A.” was climbing up the charts as Election Day approached last month and hit the No. 1 spot starting the week of Nov. 17.
The Trump dance to the song became a social media phenomenon this fall.
Trump’s YMCA dance becomes global phenomenon. 🪩🕺🏼
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) November 19, 2024
“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. Therefore, I’m glad I allowed the President Elect’s continued use of Y.M.C.A. And I thank him for choosing to use my song,” Willis said.
He also dispelled the notion that “Y.M.C.A.” is a “gay anthem.”
“There’s been a lot of talk, especially of late, that Y.M.C.A. is somehow a gay anthem. 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,” he wrote.
“This assumption is also based on the fact that the YMCA was apparently being used as some sort of gay hangout…[therefore] the song must be a message to gay people,” Willis added. “To that I say once again, get your minds out of the gutter. It is not.”
He pointed out that when he wrote the lyrics “hang out with all the boys” that was “simply 1970s black slang for black guys hanging-out together for sports, gambling or whatever. There’s nothing gay about that.”
The Trump Dance has taken over social media and families everywhere are celebrating Trump’s victory this Thanksgiving 🇺🇸🔥 pic.twitter.com/1NxNKpr4Ho
— TONY™ (@TONYxTWO) November 29, 2024
Willis argued calling “Y.M.C.A.” a gay anthem is “defamatory” and “damaging to the song.”
He concluded, “The true anthem is Y.M.C.A.’s appeal to people of all [stripes] including President Elect Trump.”
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