My old journalism/Media Law class at UC is probably going to one hell of a round-table discussion about this. I’m no longer there but I can see it now.
A Los Angeles jury may very well have been summoned to judge the supposed stolen instrumental blurred lines of the 2013 chart-topping song “Blurred Lines,” but the verdict is in and their hearing wasn’t blurry at all-instead, very clear: That 2013 popular hit song Blurred Lines did indeed infringe upon the copyright for R&B legend Marvin Gaye’s 1977 “Got To Give it Up” and now, Clifford Harris a.k.a. “Pharrell Williams” and Robin Thicke’s got to give it up.
The talented duo’s got to give up a cool $7.3 million dollars to Marvin Gaye’s family which includes Gaye’s daughter Nona Gaye who (sobbing with emotion) stated:
“Right now, I feel free from Pharrell Williams’ and Robin Thicke’s chains that they tried to keep on us and the lies that they told-this was a miracle,”
…said Nona Gaye who (with the help of Attorney Richard Busch) brought the case forward.
https://youtu.be/U-DK0cew_Fc
What’s Going On singer Marvin Gaye (her father) was killed in 1984 and couldn’t represent himself but his daughter sure did.
“They started this fight and we ended it, said Busch. “The jury saw through everything and we’re very pleased.”
“Starting” the fight stemmed from the fact that after seeing one time many interviews where Williams (the producer of the track) and Thicke (who took credit for writing the song), the Gaye family merely ‘complained’ about the similarities between “Blurred Lines” and “Got To Give it Up.”
(That, in my opinion, was probably only a warning shot as if to say “perhaps we can avoid taking this any higher and yous should come see us about some of those duckets made off that song guys, how ‘bout it?)
But behold, as low as it the move itself, it was Williams and Thicke who, first, sued the Gaye family (again-for merely complaining about the similarities).
It was then that the family countersued, and took their complaints to the court of law: claiming that Thicke not only infringed on the copyright to “Got to Give it Up” (on Blurred Lines) but as well, infringed on the copyright of Marvin Gaye’s “After The Dance” for the title track his (Thicke’s) 2011 album “Love and War.”
Although hip hop artist T.I. (who refers to himself as “Troubleman”) was the rapper on the track, he was free to make off with his 700k unscathed-no trouble for him. Proof of the street saying: ‘Don’t start none-won’t be none.” T.I had nothing to do with (in his words) starting this fight and (losing) this war. He came. He rapped. He left.
“Marvin Gaye was one of the ones we look up to. This is the last place I want to be, “
…says Pharrell who still asserts that he grew up listening to Marvin Gaye’s music and although was familiar with “Got To Give it Up,” insists he was only trying to evoke the feel of Gaye’s music (rather than boldly taking it/infringing on its copyright).
Welp.
According to my opinion (and someone else’s in agreement) as posted wayyyyyy back in 2013 (as you can see here), he sure did do an awesome job “evoking the feel” of Marvin Gaye’s music. I was an instant fan of the song.
Herein lies my other problem.
The attorney for Pharrell and Robin stated that as of now he doesn’t know if either wants to appeal the decision but the case is [quote] “only in its seventh inning,” [unquote]
“Of course, we’re disappointed,” he expressed.
That (to me) …is just…appalling to defend. Like insult to injury.
sucks teeth
Considering the fact that (especially after my seeing a couple of documentaries on Marvin Gaye: gunned down by his father and having loved, lost, struggled with addiction, lost and lost again) he didn’t exactly die under the best of financial circumstances despite his legend.
What if Nona Gaye was now poor or barely making it in life? We don’t know if she was doing well or no…I doubt it…I am DYINGGGG to know how she was living during the (2013-2014) time this record was getting spins and racking up revenue…Oprah, where are you?
I can’t imagine being a child of such a music great who changed and inspired so many lives through his music and here comes this monster song…clearly lifted from my dad’s catalog and they have the audacity to sue me for complaining about the similarities!
The human part about this all is, (and anyone who follows my blog knows I love Pharrell) but what concerns me is–as “spiritual,” balanced, “positive”and of sound mind and person he claims to be, I can’t see where (as talented as he is a producer)–he could sit here and ignore the blatant copied sound (not “similarity”) of the song.
That concerns me. But too, feeds RIGHT into the fact of what I stand by and will continue to believe every single day that I am shown:
People aren’t exactly who they say they are.
In this matrix of obsessive desire for success, popularity being put on display in front of the world and the leveled playing field of it (rather than who they really are, what the really do, and what they really think/believe); people are who they want you to believe they are so that they can achieve whatever it is they want from you: attention, your lime, grind, shine, and your like/love of them, and they’ll pretend to reciprocate the deed in the process. As long as you’re fake and utopia laden with acceptable ‘pubic’ speak and anything other than being your true self, they’ll adorn you with (insincere) late night infomercial praise and beyond-all in an effort to get what they want out of you and/or keep you away from being the true you to help them be who they want to be by way of you…
But when situations arise (that force the true “you”) to step to the stand of life, it’s like that scene in “The Wiz” when Dorothy and friends walked up on The Wiz: From the distance, he (The Wiz) was this loud, shiny, sparkly, untouchable being who had these super powers to get:
- Toto and Dorothy home
- the Tinman a heart
- the Lion some courage
- the Scarecrow a brain.
…but in reality (behind the mask), behind the shine ,and the “power”; he was NOTHING but a fretful, frail, scared man living in a big, cold warehouse doing nothing but screaming through a xylophone.
https://twitter.com/WriterNamedNGLA/status/545637960306405376
Personalities nowadays are soooo altered.
It’s no longer about “character” it’s about caricature (under the guise “character”).
There is a great, big reward for not being your true self nowadays. Over half the people you knew 3/5/10 years ago are not the same. The convenient ways we socialize and display our digits and thumbs as trophies plays on our psyches. From the moment we drop one piece of bullsh|t that sounds poetic and great (that we only merely hoped got rewarded or liked or meme’d-regardless if we aren’t adhering/living it ourselves); we put out more bullsh|t (to increase our “trophies”). Before we know it, we are out of our minds, and out of our true person. The scary part about that is: 24/7/365 we get practice doing it: all day, night, and even into the middle of the night (whenever or if ever we log off).
Other than a 60 day detox and switch off the Internet’s social media-to show people who they REALLY are (and aren’t), what you’re REALLY “doing” (and not); I don’t think there’s no cure for it at this point, other than to surround yourself with people who are not caught up in the matrix and can step back and put themselves and this experience we are living in check. That way kindred spirits can blend, thrive and excel. I brag about having that in my personal life and am a snob about it-boastfully so. I can play the game, but I know what’s really going on. I don’t allow “playing this game” to overshadow who I truly am.
The reality is, you have to play the game (in this life-you do). If you want to be fake, fake positive, fake enlightened, fake spiritual etc. I will let you-without question. I don’t feel I have the right to question your person. But at any time when reality steps into view and you are on the stand of real life…that is the point where I’m going to expect you to produce the “mechanics” of that person you say you are-through and through…
I abhor “Wizzes.” It ‘s a contagious, pathetic existence and dangerous state of being. I thank my higher power for the gift of discernment and that I can spot them and unbothered by them (when it comes to the bigger scheme of things)…I see STRAIGHT through them and straight through pretense (whether it be a celebrity, a wannabe celebrity, or a regular person). People who know they aren’t sincere or for the right thing are instantly afraid of me or intimidated by me. And I like love it that way. There’s no hiding from me. No matter who you are or what want me to think you are. Like I said, I will “play the game,” I will play your game………..(until it’s time to get serious). And I’ve played Pharrell’s game (on who he says he is versus these “Blurred Lines”).
Now that’s not to say that Pharrell is that “Wiz” tha tI speak of, but if he still insists that Blurred Lines is an innocently blind/blurred “similarity” (rather than the same song), then like “The Wiz” …so is he.
Give up the ghost Pharrell. There are no blurred lines here:
…And no, I’m not just singling out Pharrell in this. I know Robin Thicke is involved too. It’s just that (“balanced,” “positive,” and of sound mind and spirit) Pharrell produced the entire track and drew first blood on fighting Marvin Gaye’s family on such a blatant lift of a song. That’s “ego” to me-ego in that it almost seems as if he felt his celebrity, (spiritual) reputation and credentials was going to see him through.
Robin’s half of the $7.3 million dollar punishment has nothing on the karma and bad luck woven into his personal life as a result of this very same song. I wrote about it-remember?…
The “success” of this very same song ruined his marriage, career, and life in ways that I don’t wish on my worst enemy. This ONE song—even before this verdict and before it was even a case in court.
That’s amazing….
It’s like the “Spirit Gods” had plans for the unfairness of what went down today.
I rest my case.
“I’m so happy that the jurors didn’t let their stardom affect their judgment”
-Nona gaye
