Talk:Y.M.C.A. (song)

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Untitled[edit]

The page is ambiguous. When did it become a #1 hit "everywhere"? Johnleemk | Talk 11:32, 24 Jun 2004 (UTC)

This article or section should be merged with YMCA.,as a section within that article — OwenBlacker 10:33, Jul 5, 2004 (UTC)
Surely you're joking! And their hit "In the Navy" should be in the United States Navy entry too! Anyway, I like the line "he saw the YMCA sign walking down the street with composer Jacques Morali" so much that I didn't have the heart to edit it. Wetman 09:15, 23 Aug 2004 (UTC)
I'm about to re-write the YMCA article with more on that organization; the song and dance don't really fit in with the rest of it. - jredmond 12:19, 6 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Colin Powell, a so-called dove with an honorable military record, especially during the 1991 Persian Gulf War, is sometimes said to oppose the 2003 invasion of Iraq. This has, what, exactly, to do with the song? Saying Colin has performed the song is okay, but if one wants information on Colin himself, they'd go to the Colin Powell article. I'm taking that line out. Acheron 02:41, 9 Dec 2004 (UTC)

Is this in the neutral point of view? It uses some superlatives.. "It is more than a legend", for example. -- Hedley 00:52, 06 Mar 2005

Minor rewrite[edit]

I plan to reword a little of this, it's clearly got some good stuff, but also too many weasel words and similar (see entries on that elsewhere on WP). Targets for rewriting for encyclopedic style:

  • "a joyful and sublimely deadpan" (I plan to replace with simply "deadpan")
  • "a #1 hit everywhere except in the USA" (a list of places would be good, I think "everywhere" is going a little far
  • "It is more than a legend." I have no idea what this means, sounds like marketing speak to me.

Please discuss here if anyone has any thoughts (especially a list of places where it was a #1 hit) Mat-C 21:16, 27 Apr 2005 (UTC)

One of the members of the Village People (you'd think I'd remember which one, if only by his uniform) said, in an interview on a show about popular music I saw ages ago, that everyone does it wrong - the M is supposed to be done in front of your face, not above your head and certainly not (as most people do it) on top of your head making you look like a monkey. 203.26.177.2 17:46, 20 September 2005 (UTC)[reply]

And while we're at it, can someone find — or, better yet, take — a photo showing four people (or the same person four times) doing all the dance moves? The photo of the Yankee Stadium ground crew is cute, and does serve to tangentiallly illustrate the song's continuing popularity at sporting events; but really, we need all four letters illustrated, not just "Y". Daniel Case 04:51, 4 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

undertones[edit]

can someone address which undertones the song has specifically. It is never explicitly stated in the article, only alluded to.—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 68.4.60.162 (talk • contribs) .

I'm starting this now, as part of some general cleanup. So many lines in the song have a double meaning, that to leave it out except for one external link and one line you're supposed to just get is practically POV. Daniel Case 04:51, 4 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

trivia section[edit]

The first point is unclear. The first and third points need citations.--67.168.0.155 05:05, 26 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

A trivia addition[edit]

I don't know where exactly this came from, but a German talk show played this song while showing old Nazi footage. AllStarZ 20:45, 26 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Dance[edit]

I just recently picked up the Volume 18, Issue 23, August 31, 2006 issue of Sacramento News & Review (SN&R). On page 38 of this issue is an article titled, "M isn't for monkey." At the end of the article, the author describes how the Village People played at the 2006 California State Fair and gave instructions on the proper way to dance the letters. As quoted from the article, italics added for emphasis:

"'We've been traveling the world,' Hodo said from the stage, 'and we've seen some pretty shaky interpretations. So we're going to have a brief lesson.' As he moved through the letter poses with the efficiency of a flight attendant demonstrating seat belts and oxygen masks, I realized my 'M' was all wrong! I've been dancing like a monkey with my arms over my head. In fact, the 'M' is made by bending the elbows from the 'Y' pose so the fingertips meet over the chest. So graceful! So simple!"

From the above descrription, it would appear the description for the "M", as it appears on the Wikipedia, is incorrect:

Y - Arms outstretched and raised
M - Left hand on left shoulder, right hand on right shoulder
C - Arms extended to the right
A - Hands held together above head

Was anybody at this particular concert, or any concert where the Village People describe the dance?

Sorry, I thought it added my IP address automatically 204.147.113.35 20:55, 6 September 2006 (UTC) [reply]

I was at a Cher concert 2 years ago in Phoenix when The Village People opened, also performing YMCA and teaching the correct arm movements. The "M" is formed by bending the elbows downward at a 45 degree angle and pointing your fingers together about where your bellybutton is. I distinctly remember this because they made the same monkey comment and every time I watch someone do the dance incorrectly, I cringe. Chimaera2005 23:36, 19 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I had heard an interview, I believe, with the Village People where they described it as above. The article seems to be incorrect. If I can find the information (I believe it may have been on the Village People's website), I will correct the article appropriately. A new photo montage will be required, however. Bdevoe 20:07, 16 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Found an image on the Official Village People website with a photo of the infamous 'M'. Updated the text appropriately. Bdevoe 20:20, 16 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Cover versions[edit]

I deleted the cover versions section because there was no real information, only vandalism. If there are actual cover versions, the section can probably be merged with the parodies and spin-off section.

Caesar 19:37, 28 October 2006 (UTC)[reply]

YMCA & homosexuality[edit]

I've tagged the entire paragraph explaining the relationship between the YMCA and gay culture as it is unsourced and violates WP:V. Please provide a citation or this paragraph will be removed ASAP. will381796 (talk) 06:31, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Now that you have bowdlerised that paragaph, the whole article makes rather little sense to those who don't already know what the song is about. Maproom (talk) 16:07, 8 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I have removed the "fact" tags (two of them, both for the same assertion) from the first paragraph. Can an adult who has actually listened to the lyrics doubt that there are gay allusions there? Maproom (talk) 22:38, 3 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

An encyclopaedia is not about allusions but about facts. Garik 11 (talk) 22:57, 4 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]
But the allusions are are fact. They are there in the lyrics. An understanding of the song involves realising that it is not just about the joys of playing table tennis in the YMCA, it is a celebration of gay life. Maproom (talk) 23:08, 4 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry maproom but your making inferences that just arn't there Wiiztec (talk) 02:43, 1 May 2012 (UTC)[reply]

YMCA official position[edit]

Does the YMCA have a position on the song? Do they like it? Hate it? Use it in promotional material? --Error (talk) 17:08, 30 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Horace Ott[edit]

Horace Ott seems to be mentioned as the arranger but is not mentioned in the article. Should he be? (Msrasnw (talk) 20:39, 2 June 2011 (UTC))[reply]

I love Mr. Ott. We're going to have to work on that page you created for him. You'll need a source for the "Don't Let Me Misunderstood" songwriting credit. He also conducting the Village People band, but I don't think he needs a specific mention in this article. Hotcop2 (talk) 23:09, 2 June 2011 (UTC)[reply]

History[edit]

Who the fuck is Belolo? That name just appears out of thin air with no context at the end of the last paragraph of the History section 98.234.220.156 (talk) 03:43, 10 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Requested move 11 June 2016[edit]

The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

The result of the move request was: Not moved. No support presented for the move. (closed by a page mover) (non-admin closure). Anarchyte (work | talk) 07:54, 19 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Y.M.C.A. (song) → YMCA (song) – The current title is the official title and widely used(?). However, the periods may be omitted in certain sources of this decade: [1][2][3][4]. Older sources from prior decades also do that. Also, it's easier to type quickly. George Ho (talk) 06:56, 11 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page or in a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

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Song Structure?[edit]

The Song Structure section has very little about the actual structure of the song (The only relevant sentences to structure are 'The distinctive vocal line features the repeated "Young man!" ecphonesis followed by Willis singing the verse lines. The background vocals join in throughout the song.'), leaving me as a reader fairly confused. Key signature and instrumentation are nothing to do with structure (though to do with the music), and the performers again are irrelevant. The last sentence/paragraph also has nothing to the music, structurally or otherwise. It probably belongs in a different section. In any case, I'm not entirely sure on the exact details on how to fix it, just that there's something wrong. I'd suggest changing the title of this section and moving that last sentence somewhere else (possibly rewording). 89.242.186.180 (talk) 22:46, 26 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]

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Eliminating songs from commercials[edit]

Why do we need to mention about songs being used in TV commercials? Thanks to the ongoing retail apocalypse phenomenon, as well as websites such as Commercials I Hate and Am I Right, we need to eliminate references to songs used in TV commercials. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.115.251.72 (talk) 13:41, 15 August 2019 (UTC)[reply]

September 2020[edit]

I've always wondered why Wikipedia articles on songs, like this one, don't include the lyrics? It seems like the most obvious thing to include. Any insights? Myheck (talk) 19:35, 10 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

They're copyrighted, man. 179.218.3.193 (talk) 17:49, 1 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

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