A judge rules that trial is needed to determine whether the duo's hit 'Blurred Lines' is a rip-off of Marvin Gaye's 1977 song 'Got to Give It Up'.
- Oct 31, 2014
AceShowbiz - Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams have lost the first round in their battle with Marvin Gaye's family. A federal judge ruled on Thursday, October 30 that trial would be needed to determine whether the duo's smashing hit single "Blurred Lines" copied elements of the late singer's music.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kronstadt said the Gayes "have made a sufficient showing that elements of 'Blurred Lines' may be substantially similar to protected, original elements of 'Got to Give It Up'. Defendants have identified these with particularity for purposes of analytic dissection."
The similar elements include signature phrases, hooks, bass lines, keyboard chords and vocal melodies.
Responding to the ruling, Thicke and Williams's attorney Howard King said the judge's decision didn't come as a surprise for him and he's confident his clients would win the trial. "Since the compositions at issue are completely different, we remain confident of prevailing at trial," he said. A rep for the Gayes, meanwhile, hasn't commented on the ruling.
The battle between Thicke-Williams and the Gaye family has been going on for a year now. In a deposition earlier this year, Thicke admitted that he had almost nothing to do with the songwriting process, saying he showed up at the studio while being high on Vicodin and alcohol.
"The reality is, Pharrell had the beat and he wrote almost every single part of the song," he said.
A trial has been set for February 10, 2015.
