Robin Thicke sues Marvin Gaye family, Funkadelic over ‘Blurred Lines’ allegations

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Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and Clifford Harris, Jr. filed a lawsuit Thursday in California federal court against Marvin Gaye’s family and Bridgeport Music.

The lawsuit, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, says:

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.

In the suit, Thicke, Williams and Harris Jr. claim the Gaye family is alleging “Blurred Lines” and Gaye’s single “Got to Give It Up” sound and feel the same.

“Gaye defendants are claiming ownership of an entire genre, as opposed to a specific work,” the lawsuit states. It also points out that “being reminiscent of a ‘sound’ is not copyright infringement.”

The suit also claims Funkadelic is alleging similarities between “Blurred Lines” and Funkadelic’s “Sexy Ways.”

The lawsuit says that Bridgeport Music, who owns “Sexy Ways,” notified the musicians that if they did not pay a monetary settlement that Bridgeport would initiate litigation for copyright infringement. Similar claims were made by the Gayes in regards to Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up.”

The plaintiffs deny any wrongdoing, stating they did not incorporate or otherwise use the compositions and claim “Blurred Lines” does not infringe on either song’s copyrights.

In early June “Blurred Lines” became Thicke’s first single to top the charts.  Now it is easily the hottest single of this summer, logging 10 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.

Listen to Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” above and Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up” below and tell us what you think in the comments.

Follow Carrie Healey on Twitter @CarrieHeals.