(CelebNMusic247-News) Robin Thicke Suing Marvin Gaye’s Family
R&B singer, Robin Thicke is FORCED to sue Marvin Gaye and Funkadelic‘s representatives to protect his hit “Blurred Lines”!
Robin Thicke‘s “Blurred Lines” definitely shares some stylistic elements with a certain era of funk & soul, but does that constitute copyright infringement?
Thicke and co. are going to court to argue that it doesn’t, after being approached by both Marvin Gaye’s family, and Bridgeport Music, the owner’s of Funkadelic’s compositions, regarding the song’s likeness to other recordings.
Thicke, Pharrell, and T.I. (who serve as the track’s songwriters) have filed a suit in defense of the song.
The states the suit:
“Plaintiffs, who have the utmost respect for and admiration of Marvin Gaye, Funkadelic and their musical legacies, reluctantly file this action in the face of multiple adverse claims from alleged successors in interest to those artists. Defendants continue to insist that plaintiffs’ massively successful composition, ‘Blurred Lines,’ copies ‘their’ compositions.”
The Hollywood Reporter broke the news late Thursday:
Thicke, along with Pharrell Williams and T.I., filed a lawsuit against Gaye’s family and Bridgeport Music.
In the case, the trio of music makers say they have “the utmost respect for and admiration of Marvin Gaye, Funkadelic and their musical legacies,” but must “reluctantly file this action in the face of multiple adverse claims from alleged successors in interest to those artists.”
The suit claims the Gaye family is alleging that “Blurred Lines” and Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up” “feel” or “sound” the same, and that the “Gaye defendants are claiming ownership of an entire genre, as opposed to a specific work.”
Bearing the influence of a specific time is fair play, the suit argues.”Being reminiscent of a ‘sound’ is not copyright infringement. The intent in producing ‘Blurred Lines’ was to evoke an era.”
The plaintiffs are looking for a declaration that their song does not violate the rights of the defendants, and that the
“Gayes do not have an interest in the copyright to the composition ‘Got To Give It Up’ sufficient to confer standing on them to pursue claims of infringement of that composition.”
What do you think of this crazy lawsuit? Do you feel that Marvin Gaye’s family is right?
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