A former Village Folks member has responded to the band’s founder denying that ‘Y.M.C.A.’ is a “homosexual anthem”.
Earlier this week (December 3), it was reported that Victor Willis, who remains to be energetic within the group as its lead singer, got here out on social media to decry the sentiment in regards to the hit 1978 single, which as of late has been a publicly-known favorite of US President-elect Donald Trump.
“As I’ve stated quite a few occasions up to now, that could be a false assumption based mostly on the truth that my writing companion was homosexual,” he wrote, “and a few (not all) of Village Folks have been homosexual, and that the primary Village Folks album was completely about homosexual life”.
The track was co-written by Willis and the late French producer Jacques Morali, who was homosexual. He died in 1991.
“The track will not be actually a homosexual anthem aside from sure folks falsely suggesting that it’s,” Willis concluded. “And this should cease as a result of it’s damaging to the track.”
On Friday (December 6), X/Twitter consumer @peacebisquit shared a screenshot of a Fb put up written by former member David Hodo – who carried out within the group as their “development employee” member from 1978 to 1982, after which 1987 to 2013 – which responds to Willis’ assertion, per Stereogum. Hodo joined the group to switch Mark Mussler, who later died in 1987.
“Simply to be clear, there can be no YMCA track with out Jacques Morali,” wrote Hodo. “He got here up with the hook, as he did with all of the VP music, after Randy Jones took him to a YMCA and launched him to a number of homosexual porn stars who labored on the market.”
Willis beforehand said he believes using ‘Y.M.C.A.’ as a homosexual anthem, “based mostly on the truth that gays as soon as used sure YMCA’s for elicit exercise”, is “utterly misguided” in “the belief that the track alludes to that”.
David Hodo (Building employee) simply posted this… 🚧🛠️ pic.twitter.com/wk1OvE13fZ
— Invoice Coleman 🙌🏾🌿🎧🚀✨ (@peacebisquit) December 6, 2024
Hodo continued: “It’s solely barely nauseating to listen to Willis communicate as if he have been a Stephen Sondheim. YMCA would have disappeared from the charts for good had it not been for the truth that the youngsters from American Bandstand got here up with the arm actions. That foolish little dance is why this track has endured, not the ‘good’ track writing.”
Willis then responded to Hodo’s rebuttal in a Fb put up revealed on Friday. “David Hodo comes out his gap to touch upon me and my writing companion Jacques Morali.”
Effectively, nicely, nicely, what have we right here. David Hodo comes out his gap to touch upon me and my writing companion Jacques…
Posted by Victor Willis on Friday, December 6, 2024
“To begin with David, Jacques hated you and you realize it. So I wouldn’t put a lot inventory in no matter it’s important to say about me and Jacques.”
Willis additionally accuses Hodo of mendacity “for years” that he’s an “unique” member: “Due to this fact, again in your gap earlier than I crush you once more, you alternative (non-original) Village Folks member who has lied for years that you simply’re an unique. The unique development employee is Mark Mussler (RIP) and don’t you overlook it.”
In a 2017 interview by The Courier-Publish, former member Alex Briley provided his personal perspective on how the ‘Y.M.C.A.’ dance strikes got here to be, seemingly backing Hodo’s claims.
“We have been on tour someplace, and we have been requested to place some choreography to the track,” Briley remembers. “And so in a lodge room in Florida someday [Mussler] choreographed ‘Y.M.C.A.’ However the precise hand actions for the track got here from the Dick Clark present [American Bandstand].”
Stereogum additionally identified that Willis has not made secret his dislike of Hodo, unearthing a 2020 Fb put up the place he accused Hodo’s “horrible voice single handedly” ending Village Folks in 1980. “Consider it or not, David Hodo thought he might take my place in Village Folks as lead singer, lol…” he added.
