A former Village People member has responded to the band’s founder denying that ‘Y.M.C.A.’ is a “gay anthem”.
Earlier this week (December 3), it was reported that Victor Willis, who is still active in the group as its lead singer, came out on social media to decry the sentiment about the hit 1978 single, which as of late has been a publicly-known favourite of US President-elect Donald Trump.
“As I’ve said numerous times in the past, that is a false assumption based on the fact that my writing partner was gay,” he wrote, “and some (not all) of Village People were gay, and that the first Village People album was totally about gay life”.
The song was co-written by Willis and the late French producer Jacques Morali, who was gay. He died in 1991.
“The song is not really a gay anthem other than certain people falsely suggesting that it is,” Willis concluded. “And this must stop because it is damaging to the song.”
On Friday (December 6), X/Twitter user @peacebisquit shared a screenshot of a Facebook post written by former member David Hodo – who performed in the group as their “construction worker” member from 1978 to 1982, and then 1987 to 2013 – which responds to Willis’ statement, per Stereogum. Hodo joined the group to replace Mark Mussler, who later died in 1987.
“Just to be clear, there would be no YMCA song without Jacques Morali,” wrote Hodo. “He came up with the hook, as he did with all the VP music, after Randy Jones took him to a YMCA and introduced him to several gay porn stars who worked out there.”
Willis previously stated he believes the use of ‘Y.M.C.A.’ as a gay anthem, “based on the fact that gays once used certain YMCA’s for elicit activity”, is “completely misguided” in “the assumption that the song alludes to that”.
David Hodo (Construction worker) just posted this… 🚧🛠️ pic.twitter.com/wk1OvE13fZ
— Bill Coleman 🙌🏾🌿🎧🚀✨ (@peacebisquit) December 6, 2024
Hodo continued: “It’s only slightly nauseating to hear Willis speak as though he were a Stephen Sondheim. YMCA would have disappeared from the charts for good had it not been for the fact that the kids from American Bandstand came up with the arm movements. That silly little dance is why this song has endured, not the ‘brilliant’ song writing.”
Willis then responded to Hodo’s rebuttal in a Facebook post published on Friday. “David Hodo comes out his hole to comment on me and my writing partner Jacques Morali.”
Well, well, well, what have we here. David Hodo comes out his hole to comment on me and my writing partner Jacques…
Posted by Victor Willis on Friday, December 6, 2024
“First of all David, Jacques hated you and you know it. So I wouldn’t put much stock in whatever you have to say about me and Jacques.”
Willis also accuses Hodo of lying “for years” that he’s an “original” member: “Therefore, back in your hole before I crush you again, you replacement (non-original) Village People member who has lied for years that you’re an original. The original construction worker is Mark Mussler (RIP) and don’t you forget it.”
In a 2017 interview by The Courier-Post, former member Alex Briley offered his own perspective on how the ‘Y.M.C.A.’ dance moves came to be, seemingly backing Hodo’s claims.
“We were on tour somewhere, and we were asked to put some choreography to the song,” Briley recalls. “And so in a hotel room in Florida one day [Mussler] choreographed ‘Y.M.C.A.’ But the actual hand movements for the song came from the Dick Clark show [American Bandstand].”
Stereogum also pointed out that Willis has not made secret his dislike of Hodo, unearthing a 2020 Facebook post where he accused Hodo’s “terrible voice single handedly” ending Village People in 1980. “Believe it or not, David Hodo thought he could take my place in Village People as lead singer, lol…” he added.
