Robin Thicke Sues Marvin Gaye’s Family Over ‘Blurred Lines’

RHOH Robin Thicke 106 Park Premiere Robin Thicke Sues Marvin Gayes Family Over Blurred Lines

Even though the radio has pretty much worn the song out, I still like Blurred Lines. It’s fun, funky and refreshing. And yes, it does remind me of Marvin Gaye‘s Got To Give It Up. Apparently, Robin was just inspired by Marvin’s music. But The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Marvin Gaye‘s family is anything but pleased. Robin Thicke, Pharrell & T.I. have gotten together to file a lawsuit, claiming they’ve received threats to sue from Gaye‘s family.

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.”

As for Funkadelic, there’s said to be claimed similarity between Thicke’s hit and Funakedlic’s “Sexy Ways.”

“But there are no similarities between plaintiffs’ composition and those the claimants allege they own, other than commonplace musical elements,” states the lawsuit. “Plaintiffs created a hit and did it without copying anyone else’s composition.”

A New York Times critic has noted that “Blurred Lines” is “influenced heavily” by Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up,” but the lawsuit makes the point that “being reminiscent of a ‘sound’ is not copyright infringement. The intent in producing ‘Blurred Lines’ was to evoke an era.”

So they’re wanting to claim ownership of an entire genre of music? I have a problem with this. I think songs that are heavily influenced by another time or genre help out music period. It introduces people to sounds they may not have even known existed before. Hell, I bet there’s a whole legion of young people who were introduced to Marvin Gaye because of Blurred Lines. And for the record, George Clinton, former lead of Funkadelic, has shown his support to Robin. Kinda hard to ignore the words of one of the Kings of Funk himself.Similar Posts: