Village People Not Laughing at YMCA Parody

By the Betanews Staff | Published September 14, 2007, 4:10 PM

YouTube may soon be facing yet another suit over the use of copyrighted music in one of its videos, this time from the company that owns the rights to the music produced by the Village People. Can't Stop Productions is apparently not too amused with a parody that has appeared on the social video site which edits footage of Adolf Hitler and other nazi soldiers appearing to dance and sing the group's hit song "YMCA." The video may be especially offensive to the group considering two of the performers are Jewish.

A search for "YMCA Hitler" brings up two copies of the video, although clicking them brings up the message "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by CAN'T STOP PRODUCTIONS / SCORPIO MUSIC." Another video appears below it, with Hitler and others appearing to sing Patrick Hernandez's 1978 disco hit "Born to Be Alive." That video was still available as of press time.

Comments

Ah yes Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop ... Whatever... Its their right to remove it if they do not like how their material is used in this fair use way... But its not like it matters anyway. its a german spoof for a german country for a german audience. The fact that its on the web does not mean its under the DMCA purview. so it will get it off a US hosted site. sure, will it get it off the internet? not likly...

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So are they going to start singing D-M-C-A now?

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They were making fun of a group (as they said. a majority of the Village people were jewish).. it was in bad taste but theres that first amendment thing and YES its a parody.. If anyone they should go after the creators not Youtube, but they think they can get money our of a big corporation rather then bullying the idiot who actually did the parody

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I think the finnish parody was better than this
one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCgrG35-3js

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So just how can one parody a song that celebrates the joys of wanton gay sex at the YMCA and is itself a prime example of social irresponsibility?

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Mediocre video. It's really not that funny, just cause.... it's just not that funny (my opinion only). I think it was just made to get a reaction from a certain group/race, which is plain as day. Otherwise, nothing really innovative here. But hey, the more they make a stink over it, the more people will view it and seek it and find it on other sites. Should have just let it die, which it would have because it's not that damned good anyway!

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What more do they want? YouTube removed the video, whats the problem? They might as well sue the internet for copyright violation, see how well that works out.

These pathetic attempts at taking down YouTube is getting more retarded every time. Prince and now the Village People. I thought the Village People were "dead".

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Tim Berners-Lee might have a thing or two to say about that.

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Exactly. Its not like You Tube made the freakin video. They should be going after whoever made such a horrible parody.

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The Germans sure do have a weird sense of humor.

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meh.... Some of these 'productions' need to get the stick outta their arse.

Really.. .big deal.

Since when was the Village People in the Top 20 charts? Getting any airplay that might actually make a sale is probably in their best interest.

Leave YouTube for what it is... people letting off a bit of steam, and having some fun.

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I thought parody was protected under copyright law?

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The parody has to be making fun of the Village People or the song if it's going to be protected.

So, unless they were making some really strange political or artistic statement connecting the Village People and Nazis they're not protected.

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Yet another law suit against You Tube. I bet these cases will go on for years.

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That was bad. of course, I would never have heard of it if it hadn't been for the coverage of the takedown notice.

Can they really call that a parody? no-one even did the YMCA motions.... feh.

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Quite poor actually. A better way to laugh at Adolf (and Microsoft Flight Simulator 10) is to look for Sim Heil. Now that's parody.

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Content aside, it's not a very good parody, since it's not actually making fun of the Village People or their style.

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This is ALL OVER the Net. While Youtube has taken the video down, it is on Google Video.

The damn video is in poor taste.

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I would have thought "Disco Inferno" to more (in)appropriate.

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lol

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