Arbwyth said:

I'm not sure if these newspapers are right in getting the opinion of musicologists, though -- I've taken media law classes, and it's pretty rare for journalists to get the law right. This Forbes article makes the point that in copyright, similarity means "similar in the eyes of the ordinary member of the intended audience." I remember showing one of my friends GTGIU on YouTube (specifically to show her the similarities with Blurred Lines) long before this lawsuit surfaced, and most of the comments on GTGIU at the time were about how it was incredibly similar to BL, how BL used it as the backbone, etc. Sure, the Thicke stans are over there in force now, but if anybody were to dig back in the comments from before the lawsuit you'd see most ordinary listeners felt they were similar. I've also seen lots of blogs (including non-music ones) before the lawsuit who pointed out that GTGIU was the basis for BL.

The issue here isn't whether BL is inspired by GTGIU; the issue is whether the song infringed on the copyright. Those are two different things.

And if it was about his race, well, I certainly don't remember any backlash against Teena Marie or George Michael. There's a backlash against Robin Thicke because he's a mediocre, overrated narcissist. End of story.

Writing "end of story" doesn't magically change your opinion to fact. And just because you don't remember backlash against those artists doesn't mean it didn't occur. I don't know how old you are, but I know I'm not the only one who remembers the uproar when Freddie Jackson lost the R&B album award to George Michael.

AlexdeParis said:

Arbwyth said:

I'm not sure if these newspapers are right in getting the opinion of musicologists, though -- I've taken media law classes, and it's pretty rare for journalists to get the law right. This Forbes article makes the point that in copyright, similarity means "similar in the eyes of the ordinary member of the intended audience." I remember showing one of my friends GTGIU on YouTube (specifically to show her the similarities with Blurred Lines) long before this lawsuit surfaced, and most of the comments on GTGIU at the time were about how it was incredibly similar to BL, how BL used it as the backbone, etc. Sure, the Thicke stans are over there in force now, but if anybody were to dig back in the comments from before the lawsuit you'd see most ordinary listeners felt they were similar. I've also seen lots of blogs (including non-music ones) before the lawsuit who pointed out that GTGIU was the basis for BL.

The issue here isn't whether BL is inspired by GTGIU; the issue is whether the song infringed on the copyright. Those are two different things.

And if it was about his race, well, I certainly don't remember any backlash against Teena Marie or George Michael. There's a backlash against Robin Thicke because he's a mediocre, overrated narcissist. End of story.

Writing "end of story" doesn't magically change your opinion to fact. And just because you don't remember backlash against those artists doesn't mean it didn't occur. I don't know how old you are, but I know I'm not the only one who remembers the uproar when Freddie Jackson lost the R&B album award to George Michael.

I remember that.

I also remember that Teena Marie struggled to get signed to Motown

No one seemed to comment on my post a little ways up... but I just learned both songs for my band....

Like I said, when I first heard Blurred Lines I thought "Wow kind of a rip off of GTGIU".... but I listened to them and also looked up the music to confirm what I thought I heard.......

and the SONGS ARE NOT THE SAME.

Different bass lines.

Different melodies

Different chords and chord progressions (Robin's is 2 chords: G(I)and D(V), Marvin's is 4 in more of a blues pattern in A: A (I), D(IV), E (IV) with a B thrown in)

Different lyrics.

So, as much as I thought it was a rip off at first, it really is all about the feel and the rhythm, and acutally a lot of songs have that rhythm.

So...... there really is no case here.

GaryMF said:

No one seemed to comment on my post a little ways up... but I just learned both songs for my band....

Like I said, when I first heard Blurred Lines I thought "Wow kind of a rip off of GTGIU".... but I listened to them and also looked up the music to confirm what I thought I heard.......

and the SONGS ARE NOT THE SAME.

Different bass lines.

Different melodies

Different chords and chord progressions (Robin's is 2 chords: G(I)and D(V), Marvin's is 4 in more of a blues pattern in A: A (I), D(IV), E (IV) with a B thrown in)

Different lyrics.

So, as much as I thought it was a rip off at first, it really is all about the feel and the rhythm, and acutally a lot of songs have that rhythm.

So...... there really is no case here.

My sentiments exactly..... This is why I said that it's more a personal thing, than anything else. You can't tell people anything though....

shorttrini said:

GaryMF said:

No one seemed to comment on my post a little ways up... but I just learned both songs for my band....

Like I said, when I first heard Blurred Lines I thought "Wow kind of a rip off of GTGIU".... but I listened to them and also looked up the music to confirm what I thought I heard.......

and the SONGS ARE NOT THE SAME.

Different bass lines.

Different melodies

Different chords and chord progressions (Robin's is 2 chords: G(I)and D(V), Marvin's is 4 in more of a blues pattern in A: A (I), D(IV), E (IV) with a B thrown in)

Different lyrics.

So, as much as I thought it was a rip off at first, it really is all about the feel and the rhythm, and acutally a lot of songs have that rhythm.

So...... there really is no case here.

My sentiments exactly..... This is why I said that it's more a personal thing, than anything else. You can't tell people anything though....

Which is why I don't get the uproar. But, as you said, it must be a personal thing. Many people actually asked me if this was Prince's new jam. I wonder if Prince would receive the same criticism or if people would just be raving about its greatness.

VenusBlingBling said:

shorttrini said:

My sentiments exactly..... This is why I said that it's more a personal thing, than anything else. You can't tell people anything though....

Which is why I don't get the uproar. But, as you said, it must be a personal thing. Many people actually asked me if this was Prince's new jam. I wonder if Prince would receive the same criticism or if people would just be raving about its greatness.

Here's the ironic thing. Prince has actually recorded "Got To Give It Up", (it was never released though), with the NPG. I wonder what people would have thought about it, had they heard it.

shorttrini said:

VenusBlingBling said:

Which is why I don't get the uproar. But, as you said, it must be a personal thing. Many people actually asked me if this was Prince's new jam. I wonder if Prince would receive the same criticism or if people would just be raving about its greatness.

Here's the ironic thing. Prince has actually recorded "Got To Give It Up", (it was never released though), with the NPG. I wonder what people would have thought about it, had they heard it.

If he just did a cover it's not the same thing. People are upset because Robin and Pharrell come with this new song, market it as their own and then people are of the opinion that it sounds like GTGIU. If Prince had done the same thing though, I don't think people would have minded it at all.

GaryMF said:

No one seemed to comment on my post a little ways up... but I just learned both songs for my band....

Like I said, when I first heard Blurred Lines I thought "Wow kind of a rip off of GTGIU".... but I listened to them and also looked up the music to confirm what I thought I heard.......

and the SONGS ARE NOT THE SAME.

Different bass lines.

Different melodies

Different chords and chord progressions (Robin's is 2 chords: G(I)and D(V), Marvin's is 4 in more of a blues pattern in A: A (I), D(IV), E (IV) with a B thrown in)

Different lyrics.

So, as much as I thought it was a rip off at first, it really is all about the feel and the rhythm, and acutally a lot of songs have that rhythm.

So...... there really is no case here.

Interesting

Differences/similarities/samples/Armen Boladian aside, it is kinda funny to me that people are already tiring of "The Song Of Summer 2013", while most of us here still jam to Marvin and his music, not just GTGIU (incredibly a song that is 30-and-change years old)!

AlexdeParis said:

Arbwyth said:

I'm not sure if these newspapers are right in getting the opinion of musicologists, though -- I've taken media law classes, and it's pretty rare for journalists to get the law right. This Forbes article makes the point that in copyright, similarity means "similar in the eyes of the ordinary member of the intended audience." I remember showing one of my friends GTGIU on YouTube (specifically to show her the similarities with Blurred Lines) long before this lawsuit surfaced, and most of the comments on GTGIU at the time were about how it was incredibly similar to BL, how BL used it as the backbone, etc. Sure, the Thicke stans are over there in force now, but if anybody were to dig back in the comments from before the lawsuit you'd see most ordinary listeners felt they were similar. I've also seen lots of blogs (including non-music ones) before the lawsuit who pointed out that GTGIU was the basis for BL.

The issue here isn't whether BL is inspired by GTGIU; the issue is whether the song infringed on the copyright. Those are two different things.

And if it was about his race, well, I certainly don't remember any backlash against Teena Marie or George Michael. There's a backlash against Robin Thicke because he's a mediocre, overrated narcissist. End of story.

Writing "end of story" doesn't magically change your opinion to fact. And just because you don't remember backlash against those artists doesn't mean it didn't occur. I don't know how old you are, but I know I'm not the only one who remembers the uproar when Freddie Jackson lost the R&B album award to George Michael.

Comments were made but I do not remember an uproar. RnB audiences loved George Michael, Teena Marie, Dobbie Brothers and Hall and Oats. Mainly because they respected the audience and the music. This crap with suing the Gaye Estaste could be the end of his popularity with the RnB crowd so I hope he does well in the pop world.

purple1968 said:

AlexdeParis said:

Writing "end of story" doesn't magically change your opinion to fact. And just because you don't remember backlash against those artists doesn't mean it didn't occur. I don't know how old you are, but I know I'm not the only one who remembers the uproar when Freddie Jackson lost the R&B album award to George Michael.

Comments were made but I do not remember an uproar. RnB audiences loved George Michael, Teena Marie, Dobbie Brothers and Hall and Oats. Mainly because they respected the audience and the music. This crap with suing the Gaye Estaste could be the end of his popularity with the RnB crowd so I hope he does well in the pop world.

awesome points, and they respected themselves

purple1968 said:

AlexdeParis said:

Writing "end of story" doesn't magically change your opinion to fact. And just because you don't remember backlash against those artists doesn't mean it didn't occur. I don't know how old you are, but I know I'm not the only one who remembers the uproar when Freddie Jackson lost the R&B album award to George Michael.

Comments were made but I do not remember an uproar. RnB audiences loved George Michael, Teena Marie, Dobbie Brothers and Hall and Oats. Mainly because they respected the audience and the music. This crap with suing the Gaye Estaste could be the end of his popularity with the RnB crowd so I hope he does well in the pop world.

And Freddie Jackson didn't represent the black community either. I was proud of George Michael. Reason there was no "uproar" with the other "white" acts is because their music was good and authentic. This issue with Thicke has NOTHING to do with his race at all.

Timmy84 said:

purple1968 said:

Comments were made but I do not remember an uproar. RnB audiences loved George Michael, Teena Marie, Dobbie Brothers and Hall and Oats. Mainly because they respected the audience and the music. This crap with suing the Gaye Estaste could be the end of his popularity with the RnB crowd so I hope he does well in the pop world.

And Freddie Jackson didn't represent the black community either. I was proud of George Michael. Reason there was no "uproar" with the other "white" acts is because their music was good and authentic. This issue with Thicke has NOTHING to do with his race at all.

Gladys Knight was also critical of George's win — and incidentally, George did a very good cover of "If I Were Your [Woman]" not long after — so it wasn't just Freddie. But y'all can feel free to remember it however you'd like.

The R&B community is about as loyal as it gets and has shown repeatedly that it can generally separate music from other concerns (for examples, see R. Kelly and Michael Jackson among countless others). I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for Thicke or Pharrell to lose legions of fans over this.

I just think the recording industry is finished

it shouldn't even be called the recording industry anymore, its' anything and everything but.......

Timmy84 said:

purple1968 said:

Comments were made but I do not remember an uproar. RnB audiences loved George Michael, Teena Marie, Dobbie Brothers and Hall and Oats. Mainly because they respected the audience and the music. This crap with suing the Gaye Estaste could be the end of his popularity with the RnB crowd so I hope he does well in the pop world.

And Freddie Jackson didn't represent the black community either. I was proud of George Michael. Reason there was no "uproar" with the other "white" acts is because their music was good and authentic. This issue with Thicke has NOTHING to do with his race at all.

Pharrell talks about battle over 'Blurred Lines'

EMERALD MURROW

Even though Pharrell is engaged in a battle with Marvin Gaye's estate over Robin Thicke's megahit "Blurred Lines," he wants to make one thing clear — he has incredible respect for the late soul legend.

"I'm a huge fan of Marvin Gaye. He is a genius. He is the patriarch," Pharrell said on Thursday night.

The hit making singer and producer collaborated with Thicke on the No. 1 smash, which some have said sounds very similar to Gaye's "Got to Give it Up." Last month, Pharrell, Thicke and the song's other collaborator, T.I., filed a lawsuit asking a judge to determine that it does not copy Gaye's song and a song by George Clinton. It was a pre-emptive strike against future claims from Gaye's heirs that the song takes from Gaye's composition without credit.

Pharrell told The Associated Press on Thursday night that the two songs are not similar at all.

"If you read music, all you have to do is read the sheet music. It's completely different," he said while on the red carpet during an event for the Calvin Klein Collection during Fashion Week.

Gaye "is the king of all kings, so let's be clear about that. And we take our hats off to him," he said. "But anybody that plays music and reads music, just simply go to the piano and play the two. One's minor and one's major. And not even in the same key."

The Grammy winner has had a huge year; he was also a collaborator on the other big song of the summer, Daft Punk's "Get Lucky."

"I'm thankful. It's awesome," he said. "You know, the people are doing it. You know what I mean? They don't have to, but the fact that they have, it's a really awesome experience and moment, you know?"

Please shut the fuck Pharrel.

Love,

Ivy

@ Pharrell.

Timmy84 said:

@ Pharrell.

Exactly.

SoulAlive said:

"But anybody that plays music and reads music, just simply go to the piano and play the two. One's minor and one's major. And not even in the same key."

I agree, and as I postd above, I did this and changed my mind about this.

Except I dont think one is minor and one is major. Both use major chords progressions.... though I guess GTGIU melody could be considered more around F#min rather than Amajor (they are the same key signature, but the chords and bass line are centered around A so I considered hte song in A major rather than F# minor).

Blurred Lines is clearly in G major.

Also not being in the same key is not a valid defense. You can take song X, put it in another key can call it song Y but that would still be copyright infringement.

So I agree they are not the same song but his comments are odd.

SoulAlive said:

Pharrell talks about battle over 'Blurred Lines'

EMERALD MURROW

Even though Pharrell is engaged in a battle with Marvin Gaye's estate over Robin Thicke's megahit "Blurred Lines," he wants to make one thing clear — he has incredible respect for the late soul legend.

"I'm a huge fan of Marvin Gaye. He is a genius. He is the patriarch," Pharrell said on Thursday night.

The hit making singer and producer collaborated with Thicke on the No. 1 smash, which some have said sounds very similar to Gaye's "Got to Give it Up." Last month, Pharrell, Thicke and the song's other collaborator, T.I., filed a lawsuit asking a judge to determine that it does not copy Gaye's song and a song by George Clinton. It was a pre-emptive strike against future claims from Gaye's heirs that the song takes from Gaye's composition without credit.

Pharrell told The Associated Press on Thursday night that the two songs are not similar at all.

"If you read music, all you have to do is read the sheet music. It's completely different," he said while on the red carpet during an event for the Calvin Klein Collection during Fashion Week.

Gaye "is the king of all kings, so let's be clear about that. And we take our hats off to him," he said. "But anybody that plays music and reads music, just simply go to the piano and play the two. One's minor and one's major. And not even in the same key."

The Grammy winner has had a huge year; he was also a collaborator on the other big song of the summer, Daft Punk's "Get Lucky."

"I'm thankful. It's awesome," he said. "You know, the people are doing it. You know what I mean? They don't have to, but the fact that they have, it's a really awesome experience and moment, you know?"

Nicholas Payton schools Pharrell...

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

An Open Letter To Pharrell Williams (Blurred Lines Vol. 3)
Posted on September 13, 2013 by nicholaspayton

Well, it’s about time Pharrell Williams has decided to speak on the issue. He was eerily quiet about it all until just recently. And now that’s he’s opened his mouth, I can throw him some of the shade I was generously giving Robin Thicke.

“I’m a huge fan of Marvin Gaye. He is a genius. He is the patriarch.”

— Pharrell Williams

Really, Pharrell? Since when did it become okay to preemptively sue our patriarchal geniuses of Black music after you knowingly stole their songs?

… Oh, never mind. I remember: Hiphop.

“If you read music, all you have to do is read the sheet music. It’s completely different.”

— Pharrell Williams

I read music, do you? And what sheet music are you talking about? From some wack publishing company that did a transcription of Marvin Gaye’s work? Since when do people learn funk tunes from sheet music? Many funk legends can’t even read music. Marvin Gaye couldn’t read or write music, yet he wrote the tune. So what does that say, really?

Pharrell goes on to say:

“[Gaye] is the king of all kings, so let’s be clear about that. And we take our hats off to him, but anybody that plays music and reads music, just simply go to the piano and play the two. One’s minor and one’s major. And not even in the same key.”

Okay, Mr. Williams. You are wrong. Both of the tunes are actually in Major. The difference is that your song is just a major triad “G-B-D over G” and Gaye’s tune is in Dominant Major which means he flatted the 7th degree of the scale (G-C#-E over A), which would explain why y’all’s song sounds like Oktoberfest and Marvin’s song sounds like the Blues. And Marvin’s tune doesn’t go into minor until the bridge. If that monotonous piece of trash you call a song had a bridge, you probably would have stolen it, too. And just because you and Thicke lowered the key a whole step from A to G and removed the Blues doesn’t mean you didn’t steal it. Thicke has already admitted you did.

“Pharrell and I were in the studio and I told him that one of my favorite songs of all time was Marvin Gaye’s ‘Got to Give It Up.’ I was like, ‘Damn, we should make something like that, something with that groove.’ Then he started playing a little something and we literally wrote the song in about a half hour and recorded it.”

— Robin Thicke

So, how you have the hubris to pretend you didn’t steal it is jive.

Let me just explain a couple things to you:

1.) Sheet music may be the legal reference for copyright in the court systems of America, but it has never been the be-all end-all for Black music. A lot of our music has never been written down, it’s an oral and aural tradition passed down generation-to-generation from master to student.

2.) Many of our Kings of Kings could not read music themselves, either because they were blind or just never learned to read. Reading music is certainly helpful, but it isn’t necessary to do so to be a great musician. All that is required is that you have ears. And anyone with ears can hear that you clearly stole this song.

And to those of you who say I know nothing about Hiphop, if “Blurred Lines” is Hiphop, I don’t want to know anything about it. So let me officially go on record now and say that I hate Hiphop. There are certain artists who claim Hiphop that I dig, but Hiphop as a whole is wack. It’s a parasitic culture that preys on real musicians for its livelihood. I may not know anything about Hiphop, but I don’t have to. Without real artists and musicians like me, you’d have nothing to steal. I know enough about it all to know that.

One of the world’s most renowned producers can’t tell the difference between a minor chord and a Dominant 7th, something that you learn the first week in music theory class. It’s like a doctor not knowing the difference between your ears and your eyes. A musical illiterate has the nerve to tell people they would understand he didn’t steal Marvin’s song if they read music. And we wonder why today’s music is shit?

http://nicholaspayton.wor...nes-vol-3/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

theAudience said:

Nicholas Payton schools Pharrell...

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

An Open Letter To Pharrell Williams (Blurred Lines Vol. 3)
Posted on September 13, 2013 by nicholaspayton

Well, it’s about time Pharrell Williams has decided to speak on the issue. He was eerily quiet about it all until just recently. And now that’s he’s opened his mouth, I can throw him some of the shade I was generously giving Robin Thicke.

“I’m a huge fan of Marvin Gaye. He is a genius. He is the patriarch.”

— Pharrell Williams

Really, Pharrell? Since when did it become okay to preemptively sue our patriarchal geniuses of Black music after you knowingly stole their songs?

… Oh, never mind. I remember: Hiphop.

“If you read music, all you have to do is read the sheet music. It’s completely different.”

— Pharrell Williams

I read music, do you? And what sheet music are you talking about? From some wack publishing company that did a transcription of Marvin Gaye’s work? Since when do people learn funk tunes from sheet music? Many funk legends can’t even read music. Marvin Gaye couldn’t read or write music, yet he wrote the tune. So what does that say, really?

Pharrell goes on to say:

“[Gaye] is the king of all kings, so let’s be clear about that. And we take our hats off to him, but anybody that plays music and reads music, just simply go to the piano and play the two. One’s minor and one’s major. And not even in the same key.”

Okay, Mr. Williams. You are wrong. Both of the tunes are actually in Major. The difference is that your song is just a major triad “G-B-D over G” and Gaye’s tune is in Dominant Major which means he flatted the 7th degree of the scale (G-C#-E over A), which would explain why y’all’s song sounds like Oktoberfest and Marvin’s song sounds like the Blues. And Marvin’s tune doesn’t go into minor until the bridge. If that monotonous piece of trash you call a song had a bridge, you probably would have stolen it, too. And just because you and Thicke lowered the key a whole step from A to G and removed the Blues doesn’t mean you didn’t steal it. Thicke has already admitted you did.

“Pharrell and I were in the studio and I told him that one of my favorite songs of all time was Marvin Gaye’s ‘Got to Give It Up.’ I was like, ‘Damn, we should make something like that, something with that groove.’ Then he started playing a little something and we literally wrote the song in about a half hour and recorded it.”

— Robin Thicke

So, how you have the hubris to pretend you didn’t steal it is jive.

Let me just explain a couple things to you:

1.) Sheet music may be the legal reference for copyright in the court systems of America, but it has never been the be-all end-all for Black music. A lot of our music has never been written down, it’s an oral and aural tradition passed down generation-to-generation from master to student.

2.) Many of our Kings of Kings could not read music themselves, either because they were blind or just never learned to read. Reading music is certainly helpful, but it isn’t necessary to do so to be a great musician. All that is required is that you have ears. And anyone with ears can hear that you clearly stole this song.

And to those of you who say I know nothing about Hiphop, if “Blurred Lines” is Hiphop, I don’t want to know anything about it. So let me officially go on record now and say that I hate Hiphop. There are certain artists who claim Hiphop that I dig, but Hiphop as a whole is wack. It’s a parasitic culture that preys on real musicians for its livelihood. I may not know anything about Hiphop, but I don’t have to. Without real artists and musicians like me, you’d have nothing to steal. I know enough about it all to know that.

One of the world’s most renowned producers can’t tell the difference between a minor chord and a Dominant 7th, something that you learn the first week in music theory class. It’s like a doctor not knowing the difference between your ears and your eyes. A musical illiterate has the nerve to tell people they would understand he didn’t steal Marvin’s song if they read music. And we wonder why today’s music is shit?

http://nicholaspayton.wor...nes-vol-3/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

I pretty much said the same thing above.... they are both major etc.

But Thick/Pharrell simplified the song. they only use 2 chords.

Marvin's is 4 chords at least.

I thought it was a rip off at first, and they did rip off hte feel and groove for sure.

But my undestanding of US law is melody/lyrics, so legally they didn't. But the feel sure is the same.

theAudience said:

SoulAlive said:

Pharrell talks about battle over 'Blurred Lines'

EMERALD MURROW

Even though Pharrell is engaged in a battle with Marvin Gaye's estate over Robin Thicke's megahit "Blurred Lines," he wants to make one thing clear — he has incredible respect for the late soul legend.

"I'm a huge fan of Marvin Gaye. He is a genius. He is the patriarch," Pharrell said on Thursday night.

The hit making singer and producer collaborated with Thicke on the No. 1 smash, which some have said sounds very similar to Gaye's "Got to Give it Up." Last month, Pharrell, Thicke and the song's other collaborator, T.I., filed a lawsuit asking a judge to determine that it does not copy Gaye's song and a song by George Clinton. It was a pre-emptive strike against future claims from Gaye's heirs that the song takes from Gaye's composition without credit.

Pharrell told The Associated Press on Thursday night that the two songs are not similar at all.

"If you read music, all you have to do is read the sheet music. It's completely different," he said while on the red carpet during an event for the Calvin Klein Collection during Fashion Week.

Gaye "is the king of all kings, so let's be clear about that. And we take our hats off to him," he said. "But anybody that plays music and reads music, just simply go to the piano and play the two. One's minor and one's major. And not even in the same key."

The Grammy winner has had a huge year; he was also a collaborator on the other big song of the summer, Daft Punk's "Get Lucky."

"I'm thankful. It's awesome," he said. "You know, the people are doing it. You know what I mean? They don't have to, but the fact that they have, it's a really awesome experience and moment, you know?"

Nicholas Payton schools Pharrell...

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

An Open Letter To Pharrell Williams (Blurred Lines Vol. 3)
Posted on September 13, 2013 by nicholaspayton

Well, it’s about time Pharrell Williams has decided to speak on the issue. He was eerily quiet about it all until just recently. And now that’s he’s opened his mouth, I can throw him some of the shade I was generously giving Robin Thicke.

“I’m a huge fan of Marvin Gaye. He is a genius. He is the patriarch.”

— Pharrell Williams

Really, Pharrell? Since when did it become okay to preemptively sue our patriarchal geniuses of Black music after you knowingly stole their songs?

… Oh, never mind. I remember: Hiphop.

“If you read music, all you have to do is read the sheet music. It’s completely different.”

— Pharrell Williams

I read music, do you? And what sheet music are you talking about? From some wack publishing company that did a transcription of Marvin Gaye’s work? Since when do people learn funk tunes from sheet music? Many funk legends can’t even read music. Marvin Gaye couldn’t read or write music, yet he wrote the tune. So what does that say, really?

Pharrell goes on to say:

“[Gaye] is the king of all kings, so let’s be clear about that. And we take our hats off to him, but anybody that plays music and reads music, just simply go to the piano and play the two. One’s minor and one’s major. And not even in the same key.”

Okay, Mr. Williams. You are wrong. Both of the tunes are actually in Major. The difference is that your song is just a major triad “G-B-D over G” and Gaye’s tune is in Dominant Major which means he flatted the 7th degree of the scale (G-C#-E over A), which would explain why y’all’s song sounds like Oktoberfest and Marvin’s song sounds like the Blues. And Marvin’s tune doesn’t go into minor until the bridge. If that monotonous piece of trash you call a song had a bridge, you probably would have stolen it, too. And just because you and Thicke lowered the key a whole step from A to G and removed the Blues doesn’t mean you didn’t steal it. Thicke has already admitted you did.

“Pharrell and I were in the studio and I told him that one of my favorite songs of all time was Marvin Gaye’s ‘Got to Give It Up.’ I was like, ‘Damn, we should make something like that, something with that groove.’ Then he started playing a little something and we literally wrote the song in about a half hour and recorded it.”

— Robin Thicke

So, how you have the hubris to pretend you didn’t steal it is jive.

Let me just explain a couple things to you:

1.) Sheet music may be the legal reference for copyright in the court systems of America, but it has never been the be-all end-all for Black music. A lot of our music has never been written down, it’s an oral and aural tradition passed down generation-to-generation from master to student.

2.) Many of our Kings of Kings could not read music themselves, either because they were blind or just never learned to read. Reading music is certainly helpful, but it isn’t necessary to do so to be a great musician. All that is required is that you have ears. And anyone with ears can hear that you clearly stole this song.

And to those of you who say I know nothing about Hiphop, if “Blurred Lines” is Hiphop, I don’t want to know anything about it. So let me officially go on record now and say that I hate Hiphop. There are certain artists who claim Hiphop that I dig, but Hiphop as a whole is wack. It’s a parasitic culture that preys on real musicians for its livelihood. I may not know anything about Hiphop, but I don’t have to. Without real artists and musicians like me, you’d have nothing to steal. I know enough about it all to know that.

One of the world’s most renowned producers can’t tell the difference between a minor chord and a Dominant 7th, something that you learn the first week in music theory class. It’s like a doctor not knowing the difference between your ears and your eyes. A musical illiterate has the nerve to tell people they would understand he didn’t steal Marvin’s song if they read music. And we wonder why today’s music is shit?

http://nicholaspayton.wor...nes-vol-3/
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Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

hijacking at its finest

Rick James explains the motiviations behind sampling poignantly

Once again, it's legal to rip a drum groove. That's all this is, like it or not. People need to lobby for a law change or get over it.

Pick up an acoustic guitar and play/sing both songs and you will see that they're not very similar at all.

Getting upset about this, is a waste of time IMO!

Still sound like GTGIU?

How bout now?

nd33 said:

controversy99 said:

nd33 said:

Once again, it's legal to rip a drum groove. That's all this is, like it or not. People need to lobby for a law change or get over it.

Pick up an acoustic guitar and play/sing both songs and you will see that they're not very similar at all.

Getting upset about this, is a waste of time IMO!

But why would Thicke sue the Gaye and Funkadelic camps? Fine, BL is not a rip off of GTGIU. Why not just put out a statement to that effect and then leave it at that? If the Gaye camp or anybody else tries to bring you to court for copyright infringement, then defend yourself st that point. But a preemptive lawsuit? Very unseemly and weird.

Too bad Vanilla Ice didn't think to do that when he didn't sample "Under Pressure". Then he would have been spared that whole explanation fiasco.

I should leave the jokes to the real comedians...

Anyway, when I first heard the song, I immediately thought of Marvin. Pharrell should know better. Trying to sell us on that "if you read music...major/minor" bs. smh But, I agree with everyone who stated that sampling/ripping etc has been around for years. Hell, Diddy succeeded and Ashanti tried to make a whole career out of sampling. Just give credit where credit is due and there shouldn't be any problems.

[Edited 9/26/13 4:53am]

mimi02 said:

Too bad Vanilla Ice didn't think to do that when he didn't sample "Under Pressure". Then he would have been spared that whole explanation fiasco.

I should leave the jokes to the real comedians...

Anyway, when I first heard the song, I immediately thought of Marvin. Pharrell should know better. Trying to sell us on that "if you read music...major/minor" bs. smh But, I agree with everyone who stated that sampling/ripping etc has been around for years. Hell, Diddy succeeded and Ashanti tried to make a whole career out of sampling. Just give credit where credit is due and there shouldn't be any problems.

[Edited 9/26/13 4:53am]

Did you read my and someone else's posts above?

Even though I first thought this was a rip off, musically Robin Thicke/Pharell did NOT sample, moreover they are using different chords, bass line etc. It's not a sample or legal infirngement.

Whatever it was, I'm over it. Both sides are a waste of time. But I do wish MG III well on his kidney transplant...