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Forums > Music: Non-Prince > 'Blurred Lines' Jury Orders Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams to Pay $7.4 Million
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Reply #30 posted 03/10/15 6:23pm

babynoz

Thicke made mistakes early on when he sort of admitted to biting the song and then filing his own pre-emptive lawsuit which backfired on him big time.

Then he turned around and threw Pharrell under the bus in this trial.

Perhaps the attorney was able to portray him as a shady character and the jury decided accordingly.

Now he finds himself with no wife, significantly less money and minus a good portion of his fan base.

One of the quickest downfalls ever.

Prince, in you I found a kindred spirit...Rest In Paradise.
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Reply #31 posted 03/10/15 6:36pm

119

Robin Thicke has had such a spectacular fall since "Blurred Lines". In the long run, he may have been better off with his moderately successful r&b career and base audience.

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Reply #32 posted 03/10/15 6:38pm

SoulAlive

$7.4 million? That's a lot of drug money for the Gaye kids lol
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Reply #33 posted 03/10/15 6:44pm

SoulAlive

3rdeyedude said:

Thicke is worth $15 million and Pharrell is worth $80 million. I don't think they will lose sleep over this.



Only $80 million? I thought Pharrell would be worth so much more,considering all the major hit songs he has written and produced.
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Reply #34 posted 03/10/15 6:46pm

HatrinaHaterwi
tz

avatar

PatrickS77 said:



Graycap23 said:




PatrickS77 said:


I don't care who's children they are. They had nothing to do with both songs. Once the composer dies, shit like that should end. Continue making money of the actual song and recording, but don't sue others for songs that have a similar feel. And it was a jury trial, wasn't it? So hardly any experts who made the decision.


[Edited 3/10/15 16:56pm]



If u owed that song.....u would feel the same way?




If I was the composer of the song, maybe not. But that's my point. Only the composer should have a right to object to things like that. Not his fucking children. They should be happy that their father wrote successful music, continue to live off those millions and just stfu. How pathetic to sue someone that was inspired by their father's work? It doesn't affect them and doesn't take any money from them. Also they can not claim that someone is making money off something they created. They had nothing to do with the song. They are just the leeches profiting from their fathers work. And before somebody brings that up, I would also feel the same if Michael's children would start suing people.

[Edited 3/10/15 17:09pm]



Whatever! :talktohand: When Robin Thicke threw Pharrell under the bus and testified in his deposition that he was "drunk and high on Vicodin when he was claiming in interviews that he and Pharrell came up with the song in a studio one day...the rest of this story wrote itself! nod
I knew from the start that I loved you with all my heart.
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Reply #35 posted 03/10/15 6:57pm

Mstrustme

avatar

I wonder if Marvin will get a claim to a portion of future earnings like Tom Petty.

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Reply #36 posted 03/10/15 7:10pm

mjscarousal

It was dumb that they lied about this and then had the audacity to sue the Marvin Gaye Estate disbelief They should pay every nickle and dime that is rightfully owed!

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Reply #37 posted 03/10/15 7:14pm

mjscarousal

119 said:

Robin Thicke has had such a spectacular fall since "Blurred Lines". In the long run, he may have been better off with his moderately successful r&b career and base audience.

I agree with this. I use to really like him but now after all the mess and lies disbelief

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Reply #38 posted 03/10/15 7:21pm

Scorp

This is what happens when u hijack one of the all time luminaries of music
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Reply #39 posted 03/10/15 7:35pm

3rdeyedude

avatar

And for those who forgot about the unrated version of the video, here it is again...

http://www.vevo.com/watch...UV71300526

enjoy!! I wonder how much fun they had making this one....

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Reply #40 posted 03/10/15 7:59pm

phunkdaddy

avatar

TD3 said:

eek I'm shocked... just shocked... omg

You know how you AVOID drama like this?


Write your own music... wink

lol

Robin Thicke is alright but unfortunately he tried to Michael Bolton Got To Give It Up

and he well had to Give It Up

Don't laugh at my funk
This funk is a serious joint
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Reply #41 posted 03/10/15 8:01pm

phunkdaddy

avatar

babynoz said:

Thicke made mistakes early on when he sort of admitted to biting the song and then filing his own pre-emptive lawsuit which backfired on him big time.

Then he turned around and threw Pharrell under the bus in this trial.

Perhaps the attorney was able to portray him as a shady character and the jury decided accordingly.

Now he finds himself with no wife, significantly less money and minus a good portion of his fan base.

One of the quickest downfalls ever.

Truth right here ^^^^

He who fucks get fucked!

Don't laugh at my funk
This funk is a serious joint
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Reply #42 posted 03/10/15 8:03pm

phunkdaddy

avatar

SoulAlive said:

$7.4 million? That's a lot of drug money for the Gaye kids lol

Robin done already snorted half of his lol

Don't laugh at my funk
This funk is a serious joint
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Reply #43 posted 03/10/15 8:55pm

TD3

avatar

phunkdaddy said:



TD3 said:


eek I'm shocked... just shocked... omg





You know how you AVOID drama like this?




Write your own music... wink









lol



Robin Thicke is alright but unfortunately he tried to Michael Bolton Got To Give It Up


and he well had to Give It Up




what did I say, when all this drama started a couple of months ago?

When Sony threw both of these fools under the BUS and cut a check to the Gaye family. I said, Mr. Thicke & Mr. Williams should cut their losses and cut a check. That they should speak with Bolton....

BUT NOOOOO!!! These two attempted to be slicker then pig shit and thought they'd skim the surface. These DIPs are now in pig shit up to their necks.


gotta give it up, and not in a fun way.


lol

=====
[Edited 3/10/15 21:11pm]
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Reply #44 posted 03/10/15 9:09pm

scriptgirl

avatar

Nona seems off her nut in that clip.

And let me just say one thing-someone else noted and it was here on Prince.org, that Pharrell was damn lucky Prince didn't go after him for damn near copying the beat from Nasty Girl for Slave 4 U by Britney, cause that for sure is the same damn beat.

I said it when that song came out and everyone said I was crazy.

"Lack of home training crosses all boundaries."
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Reply #45 posted 03/10/15 9:13pm

laurarichardso
n

PatrickS77 said:

I don't care who's children they are. They had nothing to do with both songs. Once the composer dies, shit like that should end. Continue making money of the actual song and recording, but don't sue others for songs that have a similar feel. And it was a jury trial, wasn't it? So hardly any experts who made the decision.

[Edited 3/10/15 16:56pm]


/// Well as long still owned the copyright when they passed on the copyright passes on to the heirs. That is the and that will not be changing. Copyrights extend 70 years beyond the death of the composer and believe can be extended longer before falling into the public domain. Experts did testify in the trial and their opinion holds a lot of weight. I would rather see Marvin get the money than someone else.
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Reply #46 posted 03/10/15 9:28pm

Ego101

Truth!

scriptgirl said:

Nona seems off her nut in that clip.

And let me just say one thing-someone else noted and it was here on Prince.org, that Pharrell was damn lucky Prince didn't go after him for damn near copying the beat from Nasty Girl for Slave 4 U by Britney, cause that for sure is the same damn beat.

I said it when that song came out and everyone said I was crazy.

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Reply #47 posted 03/10/15 9:35pm

Ego101

Pharrell's been rockin' like that for YEARS!


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Reply #48 posted 03/10/15 9:53pm

nd33

Ego101 said:

Pharrell's been rockin' like that for YEARS!


.

Regardless of whose idea it was to implement that lyric, it was officially credited.

.

Music, sweet music, I wish I could caress and...kiss, kiss...
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Reply #49 posted 03/10/15 9:56pm

scriptgirl

avatar

Some of Robin's testimony:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/robin-thicke-admits-drug-abuse-732783?facebook_20150310

Anthony Mandler

"Blurred Lines," the pop hit that quickly became one of the most fascinating and controversial songs of the young century, has now spawned even more to discuss thanks to the appearance of absolutely bizarre depositions given by the song's singer, Robin Thicke, and producer Pharrell Williams. The sworn testimony, revealed for the first time in a Los Angeles federal court on Monday, covers such subjects as authorship, song credit, drug abuse and media promotion, and almost certainly will change perceptions of a hit recording that was dubbed last year's Song of the Summer.

RELATED From Ariana Grande to Rob...4 (So Far)

When "Blurred Lines" was released in March 2013, the catchy harmony became a cultural phenomenon, but since then, there's been substantial reassessment of what the song is all about. In some corners of the public, "Blurred Lines," with lyrics that include "Good girl, I know you want it," has been attacked as "kind of rapey." And in the past few months, Thicke has had to endure accusations of misogyny.

Then there's the lawsuit filed by Thicke, Williams and song co-writerClifford "T.I." Harris Jr. in an effort to protect "Blurred Lines" against claims of being a rip-off. They're facing off against the children ofMarvin Gaye, who in a cross-complaint accuse the plaintiffs of making an unauthorized derivative of their father's 1977 classic "Got to Give It Up."

Last week, Gaye's family filed summary motion papers and also lodged an audio mash... two songs in an effort to win the case. A good portion of the court documents were designated as confidential, but after some back-and-forth between the parties, a judge has ordered that transcripts of the celebrities' depositions shouldn't be sealed. The Hollywood Reporter has obtained copies of the sensational testimony.

Thicke and Williams gave their depositions this past April, and they were both incredibly hostile.

RELATED Robin Thicke Trades Paul...ovie Debut

For example, when Richard Busch, attorney for the Gayes, attempted to play the mash-up for Thicke to hear, the singer begged him to stop. "It's so hard to listen to it," said Thicke, referencing a clash between major and minor chords. "It's like nails on a f—ing chalkboard. … This is [like]Stanley Kubrick's movie Clockwork Orange. Where he has to sit there and watch … Mozart would be rolling in his grave right now."

The deposition turns even more strange once Thicke is forced to explain his many statements to the media about how Gaye has inspired him. For example, he once told GQ magazine, "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."

But that's not actually what happened, Thicke now admits.

RELATED Robin Thicke, Paula Patto...$3 Million

The singer says under oath that after writing and producing six albums himself, "I was jealous and I wanted some of the credit … I tried to take credit for it later because [Williams] wrote the whole thing pretty much by himself and I was envious of that."

In his deposition (read in full here), Thicke soon gets more specific:

"Q: Were you present during the creation of 'Blurred Lines'?

Thicke: I was present. Obviously, I sang it. I had to be there.

Q: When the rhythm track was being created, were you there with Pharrell?

Thicke: To be honest, that's the only part where — I was high on Vicodin and alcohol when I showed up at the studio. So my recollection is when we made the song, I thought I wanted — I — I wanted to be more involved than I actually was by the time, nine months later, it became a huge hit and I wanted credit. So I started kind of convincing myself that I was a little more part of it than I was and I — because I didn't want him — I wanted some credit for this big hit. But the reality is, is that Pharrell had the beat and he wrote almost every single part of the song."

Thicke says he was just "lucky enough to be in the room" when Williams wrote the song. Afterward, he gave interviews to outlets like Billboardwhere he repeated the false origin story surrounding "Blurred Lines" because he says he "thought it would help sell records." But he also states he hardly remembers his specific media comments because he "had a drug and alcohol problem for the year" and "didn't do a sober interview." In fact, when he appeared on Oprah Winfrey's show with his young son and talked about how weird it was to be in the midst of a legal battle with the family of a legendary soul singer who "inspires almost half of my music," Thicke admits he was drunk and taking Norco — "which is like two Vicodin in one pill," he says.

RELATED Robin Thicke Blurs the Li...(Analysis)

The singer addresses his honesty ("I told my wife the truth. That's why she left me.") and after saying he's been sober for many months, clarifies toward the end of the deposition that he's given up Vicodin but not alcohol.

Despite having limited input into the creation of "Blurred Lines," Thicke was given a co-writer credit, which he says entitles him to about 18-22 percent of publishing royalties. Why would Williams be so generous?

"This is what happens every day in our industry," said Williams during his own deposition (read in full here). "You know, people are made to look like they have much more authorship in the situation than they actually do. So that's where the embellishment comes in."

Williams' own testimony also got off to a belligerent start. At one point during the examination, Williams says he can read music, but then is shown a transcription of a song, and is asked to identify notes and durations. "I'm not comfortable," Williams responds eight times as Busch presses to figure out whether he really can read music.

The producer is evasive in other ways. Asked whether Marvin Gaye has influenced him, Williams says, "He's an Aries. I respect him."

RELATED Robin Thicke Continues Pa...e' (Video)

Williams says he didn't go into the studio with the intention of making anything sound like Gaye. He takes the attorneys through his creative process and why the session on "Blurred Lines" was a bit different.

"When I work with a person, I think about three things," he says. "I think about the energy that they're coming with, but this wasn't the case because [Thicke] wasn't there yet. But usually, I think about the energy and what they come in with, like what's on their mind, you know, argument with a girlfriend, email with the husband, politics, state of the world. People walk in with vibes. They walk in with feelings. This was not one of those days."

The producer says he was in the "driver's seat" on this particular song, but does give Thicke some credit in a rather interesting section that seems to imply that white people are victims and beneficiaries of racial discrimination in the music business:

"Q: In your view, what holds 'Blurred Lines' together throughout the different sections?

Williams: What holds it together?

Q: Yeah.

Williams: Robin Thicke's voice.

Q: Does the bass line and the keyboard hold the songs together through the different sections?

A: No.

Q: Why not?

A: Because it's the white man singing soulfully and we, unfortunately, in this country don't get enough — we don't get to hear that as often, so we get excited by it when the mainstream gives that a shot. But there's a lot of incredibly talented white folk with really soulful vocals, so when we're able to give them a shot — and when I say 'we,' I mean like as in the public gives them a shot to be heard, then you hear the Justin Timberlakes and you hear the Christina Aguileras and you hear, you know, all of these masterful voices that have just been given, you know, an opportunity to be heard because they're doing something different."

Williams then adds that if he had sung the song, "It wouldn't be what it was — what it is today."

He admits, though, it's his song. Asked whose creation were the "Blurred Lines" words, he answers, "Mine."

How all this fits into the ongoing lawsuit is an intriguing question in and of itself.

In attempting to keep the depositions private, Howard King and Seth Miller — attorneys for Thicke and Williams — argued that they were hardly relevant and merely intended to "distract attention from the real issues and to embarrass, harass, and annoy Plaintiffs." They begged the judge to take note of the fact that celebrity depositions can be the subject of "untoward media exploitation and public scrutiny," and instructed the judge, "Google 'Justin Bieber deposition.'" (The attorneys were at least successful in getting the judge to keep private the videotaped version of the depositions.)

The transcripts of the depositions don't necessarily refute the plaintiffs' contention in their own summary judgment motion that "Blurred Lines" and "Got to Give It Up" are not substantially similar for purposes of a copyright analysis, but on the road to a trial that is currently scheduled for February 10, 2015, the Gayes believe they have ammunition to destroy the plaintiffs' credibility and honor.

"Thicke, for his part, now claims he made all of his statements while drunk or on drugs, none of them true, and he mentioned Marvin Gaye only to sell records," states the counter-claimants' court papers. "He also actually testified that he is not an honest person. This complete contempt for the judicial system, and their obligations to tell the truth, can best be summed up by Thicke’s ultimate admission, while under oath, that he '[does not] give a f—k' about this litigation."

In response to today's revelations, attorney Howard King of King, Holmes, Paterno & Berliner issued a statement on behalf of Thicke, stating that “Robin's moment of personal vulnerability is being exploited in the hope of diverting attention from the obvious weakness of their legal claim.”

Sept. 15, 6:40 p.m. Updated with statement from attorney Howard King.

"Lack of home training crosses all boundaries."
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Reply #50 posted 03/10/15 10:00pm

SoulAlive

scriptgirl said:

Nona seems off her nut in that clip.

And let me just say one thing-someone else noted and it was here on Prince.org, that Pharrell was damn lucky Prince didn't go after him for damn near copying the beat from Nasty Girl for Slave 4 U by Britney, cause that for sure is the same damn beat.

I said it when that song came out and everyone said I was crazy.

Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" is a blatant rip-off of Madonna's "Express Yourself",but Madonna didn't sue.Many songs are similiar to other songs,especially these days.

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Reply #51 posted 03/10/15 10:17pm

nd33

The Gaye children must have AMAZING lawyers, because their case was flimsier than a wet paper bag.

.

This case will be appealed, but for the mean time, this is what plagarism looks like:

And that took a couple of weeks to resolve...

.

In contrast, this is what it looks like when you're desperately trying to prove something that is contentious to say the least:

http://www.hollywoodrepor...lurred.pdf

.

I say all that as a huge Marvin Gaye fan, but a bigger fan of music itself. I have no desire to ever hear Blurred Lines again, but there are many genres I love, which contain thousands of songs that use similar rhythms, instrument choices and production techniques as were the similarities in this case.

.

Disco, reggae, ska, punk and on and on....you could find 100's if not 1000's of songs in many genres that share more in common than BL/GTGIU ever have.

.

This is not good for the music industry, but it is GREAT for the law industry! If you love lawyers and support their endeavours to have a constant stream of lucrative work, then this is a landmark day (for now) lol

Music, sweet music, I wish I could caress and...kiss, kiss...
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Reply #52 posted 03/10/15 10:31pm

nextedition

avatar

scriptgirl said:

Cynic, why do you think it is unjust? I think Robin should pay just cause of how smarmy and smug he was about the the whole thing.

That´s a scary thought, you want people to be convicted because of the way they think about a case?

It's about the law, not about how you think other people should behave.

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Reply #53 posted 03/10/15 10:33pm

TonyVanDam

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clapping Congrats to The Marvin Gaye estate. Justice was finally served! nod

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Reply #54 posted 03/10/15 10:34pm

nextedition

avatar

scriptgirl said:

It ain't just the coke. Robin is sleazy 24/7. He always seems like he is fresh from a strip club, dripping in juice and I don't mean the kind you drink.

yep, all sleazy men should pay....did the guy do something to you personally that you so want him to be convicted?

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Reply #55 posted 03/10/15 10:46pm

scriptgirl

avatar

I stand by my opinion that Robin is a sleazoid, but I know that doesn't stand up in a court of law and should have had no bearing on the case.

"Lack of home training crosses all boundaries."
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Reply #56 posted 03/10/15 10:50pm

TonyVanDam

avatar

TD3 said:

eek I'm shocked... just shocked... omg

You know how you AVOID drama like this?


Write your own music... wink


I was never shocked at all. I've been saying from day one that the first time I've heard Robin's Blurred Lines, I said immediately that it sounded like Marvin's Got To Give It Up.

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Reply #57 posted 03/10/15 11:14pm

Scorp

TonyVanDam said:

clapping Congrats to The Marvin Gaye estate. Justice was finally served! nod

yeeessss

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Reply #58 posted 03/10/15 11:18pm

nd33

TonyVanDam said:

TD3 said:

eek I'm shocked... just shocked... omg

You know how you AVOID drama like this?


Write your own music... wink


I was never shocked at all. I've been saying from day one that the first time I've heard Robin's Blurred Lines, I said immediately that it sounded like Marvin's Got To Give It Up.

.

I don't think anyone that knows Marvin's music debates that, but still where is the melodic or lyrical similarity? See the document I posted above for the evidence that is stretching to find that link...

.

Music, sweet music, I wish I could caress and...kiss, kiss...
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Reply #59 posted 03/10/15 11:21pm

TonyVanDam

avatar

babynoz said:

Thicke made mistakes early on when he sort of admitted to biting the song and then filing his own pre-emptive lawsuit which backfired on him big time.

Then he turned around and threw Pharrell under the bus in this trial.

Perhaps the attorney was able to portray him as a shady character and the jury decided accordingly.

Now he finds himself with no wife, significantly less money and minus a good portion of his fan base.

One of the quickest downfalls ever.


You forget about Robin and that infamous performance with Miley Cyrus at the MTV VMA.

I think THAT^ incident really made him look more like a sellout than anything else.

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Forums > Music: Non-Prince > 'Blurred Lines' Jury Orders Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams to Pay $7.4 Million