Robin Thicke Files Lawsuit To Protect 'Blurred Lines' From Claims It Copies Hit '70s Songs
Marvin Gaye's family claims the song of the summer has the same sound as Gaye's '70s hit "Got to Give It Up," while a company that owns the rights to some of Funkadelic's songs, Bridgeport Music, claims the song copies 1974 "Sexy Ways."
Both are allegedly threatening litigation should they not receive a monetary settlement, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Thicke, Pharrell, and Clifford Harris, Jr. wasted no time seeking pre-emptive copyright protection. The trio filed a suit against those parties in California federal court on Thursday.
"Plaintiffs, who have the utmost respect for and admiration of Marvin Gaye, Funkadelic and their musical legacies, reluctantly file this action," the suit states. "Defendants continue to insist that plaintiffs' massively successful composition, 'Blurred Lines,' copies 'their' compositions. ... But there are no similarities."
It explains that the intent of "Blurred Lines" was to "evoke an era," but that being "reminiscent of a 'sound'" is not copyright infringement.
"Gaye defendants are claiming ownership of an entire genre, as opposed to a specific work," they argued.
Read the full court document here.
The plaintiffs are seeking a judgment that the song in fact does not duplicate Gaye's and Funkadelic's songs, and that Gaye's family does not have sufficient interest in pursuing claims.
Earlier this month, The New York Times reviewed "Blurred Lines," saying it was "influenced heavily by Marvin Gaye’s 'Got to Give It Up.'"
The former leader of Funkadelic George Clinton has since tweeted out that he supports Robin Thicke and Pharrell citing no copyright infringement.
Listen to the tracks below and decide for yourself: