Donald Trump's relationship with music has been a tumultuous one. During his presidency, Trump faced criticism and backlash from several musicians who opposed his policies and rhetoric. Some artists even went as far as to threaten legal action if Trump continued to use their music at his campaign events. Others backed him up and visited the White House to show their support. The former president, with his background in the entertainment business, understands the importance of music and keeps using it in his political, business, and private endeavors.
Recently he revealed his favorite song that he likes to play while DJ-ing for his guests at his Mar-a-Lago residence. Read on to learn more about his good and not-so-good relations with musicians, his Dj-ing, and his favorite song (spoiler alert: It's a 1978 disco classic).
After leaving the White House, Donald Trump spends much of his time in his Florida Mar-a-Lago residence. According to New York magazine, members of the club pay $200,000 initiation fees and annual fees of $14,000. In return, guests could use space for events like galas, bat mitzvahs, and weddings. "Trump often wanders in," reports New York. Some of the members are lucky to witness the former president playing music for his guests.
What songs does he choose to get people to dance to? "I pick the ones I like," Trump recently revealed on Full Send podcast. He prefers "songs that do get people moving." "I have a lot of them," he said before revealing his favorite one: "You know what gets them rocking? 'Y.M.C.A.,'" he said, referring to the disco hit written and performed by the Village People.
"Y.M.C.A." is a cult disco song-turned-phenomenon released in 1978; it became an international hit, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States and becoming one of the most popular songs of the 1970s. The song is known for its catchy, upbeat melody and simple, repetitive lyrics, which spell out the letters "Y-M-C-A."
The acronym stands for the Young Men's Christian Association, a worldwide organization that provides social, recreational, and educational programs for men and boys. Despite its association with the Y.M.C.A., the song's lyrics do not explicitly mention the organization. Instead, they describe a place where people can go to have fun, meet new friends, and escape their problems. "There's no need to feel down," the lyrics go, "I said, hey, hey, hey, Y.M.C.A."
"It's an underrated track," Trump has said. "'They call it the gay national anthem. Did you ever hear that? But 'Y.M.C.A.' gets people up, and it gets 'em moving." "People love it when I do it." He also shares that he likes to play the 1966 Sam & Dave song "Hold On, I'm Comin'" as a follow-up song.
When asked about the music he likes to play for his guests, he also mentioned Broadway classics: "I play beautiful [music]. I love Broadway stuff, Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables," he said. This is not surprising for a native New Yorker, who reportedly once was involved in producing a show called Paris Is Out!, and was working on moving his TV hit Apprentice to Broadway.
"There's so much great music. For me, I'd have to say it's a toss up between Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Elton John. I never get tired of listening to them and probably never will… Any album by any of them is bound to be fantastic," Trump wrote in Think Like a Billionaire from 2004. "And besides that, Tony lives in one of my buildings."
"And by the way, I also love Eminem," Trump wrote in Think Like a Billionaire. The feeling wasn't mutual. Eminem rapped about Trump on BET: "Any fan of mine who's a supporter of his / I'm drawing in the sand a line, you're either for or against." Later, the rapper said he'd change a few things about the verse. "But if I could go back, I'd at least reword it / And say I empathize with the people this evil serpent / Sold the dream to that he's deserted…"
Also, in Think Like a Billionaire, Trump wrote about his stint hosting Saturday Night Live in 2004: "I heard the guest band, Toots & The Maytals, practicing out on the set. They sounded terrific, and I went out to listen to them for a while. My daughter Ivanka had told me how great they were, and she was right. The music relaxed me, and surprisingly, I was not nervous."
"I've always had a high aptitude for music," Trump said on the podcast. "But I love great music." The former president has been known to enjoy classic rock and roll and has been seen dancing to the music of Elton John, the Beach Boys, and of course, Village People at various events. Trump is still into Frank Sinatra, whose music he often played at his campaign events.
"In Trump Tower, we play a variety of music – anything from renditions of Moon River to versions of Rachmaninov's famous classical piano concertos. Some people call it cheesy, but others love it, and so do I. If you love a certain kind of music, don't let other people's tastes influence your own. Whatever's the best for you is the best. Never forget that," he wrote in 2004.
Maggie Haberman, the White House correspondent for The New York Times and author of Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America, obtained a note that confirms former presidents' new hobby. According to Haberman, a message advertising the former president as a disc jockey was sent to Mar-a-Lago club members and said, "Great music will be played during dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings, with President Trump playing the role of disc jockey. The music will be amazing, it will be lots of fun, and will go until the late evening."
"At the galas and bat mitzvahs and weekend weddings, Trump often wanders in. He smiles and waves. He joins groomsmen for photos. He steps onto the dance floor with the bride. Dark suit jacket, no tie, shirt unbuttoned, red MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN hat on his head. He tilts his face to the strobe lights and pumps his fists in the air. Sometimes he grabs a microphone and gives a speech. He knows what the people who show up here want," adds New York.
Last November, Donald Trump launched his 2024 Presidential Campaign with "Hold On, I'm Comin'" but not everybody was ready to hold on. The estate of Isaac Hayes, who was co-writer of the song with musician David Porter, immediately threatened legal action. It was the last in the long list of artists not being happy with their music being dragged to political theater.
One of the most high-profile disputes occurred in 2016 when the British rock band Queen accused Trump of using their song "We Are the Champions" without permission at the Republican National Convention. The band's frontman, Brian May, condemned Trump's use of the song and threatened to take legal action. "An unauthorised use at the Republican Convention against our wishes – Queen," May wrote on Twitter.
Other artists who have spoken out against Trump's use of their music include the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Adele, and R.E.M. In many cases, the artists demanded that Trump stop using their music or risk facing legal consequences. In June 2020, Village People leader Victor Willis asked that Trump no longer use any of his music at his rallies, particularly the songs "Macho Man" and Trump's favorite "Y.M.C.A."
Despite the tensions with some musicians, Trump has also received support from others in the music industry. The rapper Kanye West, for example, visited Trump at the White House in 2018 and expressed his admiration for the president. There have been several musicians who have publicly expressed support for Donald Trump during his presidency. Some examples include.
Ted Nugent: Nugent is a rock musician and conservative political activist who has been a vocal supporter of Trump.
Kid Rock: Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert James Ritchie, is a country-rock musician who has also been a vocal supporter of Trump.
Lil Pump: Lil Pump is a rapper who has expressed support for Trump and has even worn a "Make America Great Again" hat during performances.
Not all of these musicians have consistently supported Trump, and their views and opinions may have changed over time.
"Y.M.C.A." is not specifically a gay song, but it has been embraced as an anthem by the LGBTQ+ community and is often played at pride events. The Village People are known for their flamboyant stage performances, and their music often includes themes related to the LGBTQ+ community. However, the song itself is not specifically about being gay or about LGBTQ+ themes.
The song's popularity was boosted by its energetic, high-energy music video, which featured the Village People performing the song in flashy, colorful costumes. The group was known for its diverse lineup of performers, each of whom represented a different "type" of man: a construction worker, a soldier, a cowboy, a Native American, a biker, and a cop. Maybe they should add a president to the mix.
