The song, which is sung whenever Sheldon is sick, is claimed to be written lyrics by the late poet Edith Newline.
- Dec 29, 2015
AceShowbiz - Sheldon may not hear another "Soft Kitty" rendition in near future. A lawsuit is filed against CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" over the ownership of the song which becomes Sheldon's comfort whenever he's sick or troubled.
Late poet Edith Newlin wrote lyrics to the song "Warm Kitty" in 1937. Her daughters, Margaret Perry and Ellen Chase, thought CBS should pay royalty. They filed a lawsuit on Monday, December 28 in a federal court in Manhattan, saying "The Soft Kitty lyrics have played a prominent role in the development and portrayal of one of the central characters in the program."
Newlin's lyrics says, "Warm Kitty / Soft Kitty / Little Ball of Fur / Sleepy Kitty / Happy Kitty/ Purr Purr Purr." The one used on the show only changes the order of the lyrics and the rest are the same. It was first sung in a 2008 episode by both Sheldon and Penny before repeated in seven more episodes.
"Big Bang Theory" made the song so popular that CBS made a merchandise out of it including coffee mugs, hoodies, t-shirts, plush toys and key chains. The lawsuit said, "The Soft Kitty Lyrics are among the best-known and most popular aspects of 'The Big Bang Theory'. They have become a signature and emblematic feature of the show and a central part of the show's promotion."
Meanwhile, Willis Music said it helped Warner Bros., which produces the show, to legalize the song for the TV series. "In 1937, we published a book called 'Songs for the Nursery School,' and we sold tens of thousands of copies," the company's owner Kevin Cranley wrote.
"It is a hardbound book of over 150 songs for children. The book was written by Laura Pendleton MacCarteney. In that book on page 27 is Warm Kitty. Warner Brothers and I worked together to secure the rights for the show The Big Bang Theory and they have been using the song ever since. The writers wanted the song because one of them remembered it as a child. They also wanted to slightly change the words and I'm really not sure of the reason for that change."
