Village People’s cop threatens to “crush” construction worker over “Y.M.C.A.” gay anthem dispute

By wazup on December 7, 2024 No Comments / 26 views

Days after original Village People singer and songwriter, Victor Willis, threatened to sue news outlets for describing their 1978 hit “Y.M.C.A.” as a gay anthem, the group’s longtime construction worker, David Hodo, has hit back, saying that it is.

On Facebook earlier this week, Willis threatened to take legal action against “each and every news organization” that refers to the song as a “gay anthem” after January 2025, alleging that his lyrics have long been misconstrued and that the association has become “damaging.” He also defended Donald Trump’s usage of the track, claiming that the President Elect “seems to genuinely like ‘Y.M.C.A.’” and that Village People have grossed “several million dollars since the President Elect’s continued use of the song.”

But Hodo — who began performing as the construction worker in 1977 and sang backing vocals on “Y.M.C.A.” — has made a post of his own, clarifying that the song does indeed make intentional references to gay culture.

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“Just to be clear, there would be no ‘Y.M.C.A.’ song without Jacques Morali,” Hodo wrote in a now-deleted Facebook post, referencing the gay French producer who created the Village People. “He came up with the hook, as he did with all the VP music, after Randy Jones took him to a Y.M.C.A. and introduced him to several gay porn stars who worked out there.”

Continuing, Hodo threw some additional shade at Willis, suggesting that his songwriting contributions did little for the song’s continued success. “It’s only slightly nauseating to hear Willis speak as though he were a Stephen Sondheim,” he said. “‘Y.M.C.A.’ 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.”

To Hodo’s credit, the “gay anthem” status of the song is undeniable. Even Willis himself has seemingly acknowledged this in the past, with a 2014 interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune saying that he was “proud of the double entendres” he wrote for the song’s lyrics.

Nonetheless, Willis has escalated the feud with Hodo, taking to Facebook again for a scathing post against his former bandmate. “Well, well, well, what have we here,” his post began. “David Hodo comes out of his hole to comment on me and my writing partner Jacques Morali. 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.”

Concluding, Willis wrote, “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.” Damn!

Whatever “before I crush you again” means (more double entendres?), this is not the first time Willis and Hodo have butted heads. In 2020, Willis claimed Hodo’s “terrible voice single handedly ended Village People in 1980.” Meanwhile, the group is still performing with Willis and a new lineup, constructed since 2017.