BlogRead the Latest News

 

No Longer “Blurred Lines”

Following up on a previous post, earlier today a California jury awarded the estate of Marvin Gaye over $7 million in damages to be paid by Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for their infringement of Gaye’s song “Got To Give It Up”  in their “Blurred Lines” hit.  Their song has made $17 million,of which $5.5 million was paid to Thicke and $5 million was paid to Williams.

Two quick points:

1.  I still believe that it was silly of Thicke and Williams to initiate this lawsuit to prove their ownership of the song.  It is usually best to let sleeping dogs lie.

2.  I doubt that Williams will be “Happy” with this verdict.

Robin-Thicke-Elle-Evans

Let’s Get It On

In a slow news period while waiting for info on Joan Rivers’ will, let’s keep it in the estate arena but mix it with pop music. The estate of Marvin Gaye is battling Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams over whether “Blurred Lines” plagiarized Gaye’s song “Got To Give It Up.”  The case is premised on comments Thicke made that “Got To Give It Up” was one of his all time favorite songs and that he wanted to make a song like it.   After taking credit for “Blurred Lines” in interviews, in his deposition under oath Thicke later pleaded drug and alcohol abuse during the creation of “Blurred Lines” and deferred credit to Pharrell Williams as the primary songwriter.  He and Williams later sued Gaye’s estate in a declaratory judgment action that they did not plagiarize the Gaye song.

Several points:

1.   Thicke and Williams should not have sued Gaye’s estate.  They precipitated an unnecessary battle – if the estate thought the songs were identical, it could have sued them.

2.  I doubt Williams is feeling “Happy” after Thicke threw him under the bus after Williams gave Thicke the only reason people know him besides being the son of Alan Thicke.

3.  “Got To Give It Up” does not rank in my top 20 Gaye songs.  Thicke must have been drugged and drunk to say it is one of his all time favorites.

robin-thicke-blurred-lines-pharrell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact Info

image

Address

Law Office Of Jay Brinker
1 E. Fourth Street - Suite 900
Cincinnati, OH 45202

Email

[email protected]

Phone

(513) 665-4888

Contact Me

All Posts By Jay Brinker

I am an attorney located in Cincinnati, Ohio who practices in the areas of estate planning, probate, asset protection, and small business advice. I make a difficult and bewildering process as simple as possible. Most importantly, I provide "more for less" for my clients.