The Hollywood Reporter has reported that Robin Thicke, whose #1 hit “Blurred Lines” bears more than a passing resemblance to Marvin Gaye’s 1977 smash “Got To Give It Up,” is pre-emptively suing the deceased singer’s estate, as Thicke attempts to avoid claims of copyright violation with regard to the song, apparently being leveled by the Gaye camp. The lawsuit states:
“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 case should be an interesting discussion of where “inspiration” by a previous song may cross over into misappropriation without attribution. There is no doubt that “Blurred Lines,” including the party sounds and the beat, is heavily influenced by “Got to Give It Up,” but is it enough that Gaye should be credited as a co-writer?
Check out the videos below for “Blurred Lines” and “Got To Give It Up” below and tell us what you think. And check out our review of the album Blurred Lines.
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