The ongoing controversy over Donald Trump's unauthorized use of artists' music is far from new, with numerous acts demanding that he cease playing their songs at campaign events without explicit permission. This year, notable figures such as Céline Dion, Beyoncé, Woodkid, Jack White, Sinead O'Connor's estate, and others have publicly criticized Trump for using their music. Isaac Hayes' estate even took legal action against the politician. Initially, The Village People requested Trump to stop using their 1978 hit 'Y.M.C.A.' at his rallies. However, band member and 'Y.M.C.A.' singer and co-writer Victor Willis reconsidered after observing that Trump genuinely enjoyed and had fun with the song. This explains why the President-elect was seen dancing to it this year.
Willis recently defended Trump's use of the song in a detailed Facebook post, revealing that he received over 1,000 complaints about 'Y.M.C.A.' being played at Trump's rallies. Despite this, Willis instructed his wife to inform BMI not to withdraw the political use license for the Trump campaign. He noted that the song's chart performance improved significantly due to Trump's use, reaching #1 on a Billboard chart after 45 years and maintaining the top spot for two weeks. Willis expressed satisfaction with the financial benefits and thanked Trump for choosing to use his song.
Additionally, Willis denied that 'Y.M.C.A.' was intended as a gay anthem, stating he was unaware of the YMCA being a hangout for gays when he wrote the lyrics. He clarified that the phrase 'hang out with all the boys' was simply 1970s black slang for black men gathering for sports, gambling, or other activities. Willis also announced that starting in January, his wife will take legal action against any news organization referring to 'Y.M.C.A.' as a gay anthem.
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