Aww SUE-ki SUE-ki now…
It was just this week that the verdict was read in favor of Marvin Gaye’s estate defending their claims that producer Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke blatantly lifted Gaye’s “Got To Give it Up” for their nearly two year run of the chart-topping smash “Blurred Lines.”
If you read my write up on it, then you also saw too, where Robin (individually) was sued for infringing on the copyright of Marvin Gaye’s “After The Dance” for the title track his Robin Thicke’s 2011 album “Love and War.”
Pharrell’s draw of first blood-initially suing Gaye’s estate as a result of their complaining-not legally claiming-that the Blurred Lines hit sounded eerily similar to Marvin Gaye’s hit Got To Give it Up, is now about to get him raked across the coals for more of the same, perhaps.
Yesterday, on Entertainment Tonight, Nona Gaye and Marvin Gaye’s ex-wife Janis sat down with Nischell Turner to discuss the outcome of the verdict (among other things).
Turns out (as well) Nona Gaye’s listening ears also caught wind of Pharrell’s hit song “Happy” having eerie similarities as her dad (Marvin Gaye)’s “Aint That Peculiar?”
“I’m not going to lie. I do think they sound alike” said Nona.
But the ex wife was a bit more upfront about it, expressing: “I heard the mash-ups, but I didn’t really need to hear them. I know ‘Ain’t That Peculiar’ and I’ve heard ‘Happy.’ ”
When asked if they were going to head back to the drawing board, Janis replied: “We’re just in the moment today and we’re satisfied.”
Welp.
$7.3 is enough to keep everything kosher dill after a kosher deal I’m sure.
I’m willing to bet that (while reports are swirling today) Pharrell and Robin’s lawyers are planning to appeal the $7.3 lawsuit, by the time they get a hold of Nona and Janis’ finger on the trigger of ‘Happy’ vs. “Aint That Peculiar;” Pharrell’s lawyers may want to re-think that appeal. After all, it’s like the saying goes: “Don’t start none-won’t be none.”
They just found out what happened when they drew first blood and started it.
At any rate, listen to the mash-up of Pharrell’s ‘Happy’ and Gaye’s “Aint That Peculiar.”
Peculiar to you or no?
The melody is indeed spot on…but even moreso–Pharrel’s bridge “Cant let nothing bring me down” (that part…is also spot on to Marvin Gaye’s song’s bridge. It blends right in.
Pharrell’s lawyer better chill on the appeal.
P.S.
It’s a strange irony, this whole Marvin Gaye thing-how, I for one, can vouch for Robin Thicke’s musical grind (having been a fan of his since “When I Get You Alone” back in 2002 through his breakthrough with Lost Without You in 2005).
But his major breakthrough finally happened in 2013 with this Blurred Lines song.
Not only did the title “blurred lines” take on a life all its own: the tug of war whether or not the production was authentic or a copy, but too, Robin’s whole life with his wife Paula went blurry to no more and too, the album he dropped after Blurred Lines didn’t see the light of day past a week.
Similarly it was Robin’s personal rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “Here My Dear” where too, after losing his woman-Marvin wrote and dedicated a whole album to his woman (as did Robin). Robin’s “Paula” flopped-quickly.
As well, remember—was it the Academy Awards/Oscars? We watched Pharrell dance across that stage on that awards show that year–we all could have sworn that Oscar totally belonged to Pharrell (for ‘Happy’/ “Despicable Me”).
Outside of the worldwide praise he received from it-(although nominated several times and winning 4 various awards for it) by comparison to how widely popular and nominated the song was-he couldn’t collect trophies for that song to save his life!
It’s like the Spirit Gods have been all over this thing-forcing (what was done in the dark?) to come to the light.
Aint this peculiar:
Pharrell’s birthday is April 5.
Marvin’s: April 3…
Perhaps Pharrell felt he had some kind of close “connection” to Marvin?
*shrugs shoulders*
