Robin Thicke is going to court to protect the song of the summer, “Blurred Lines” from Marvin Gaye’s relatives and Funkadelic’s rights-owners.
Thicke along with Pharrell Williams and Clifford Harris Jr. filed the lawsuit Thursday against Gaye’s family and Bridgeport Music, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The two defendants in the case have threatened legal action and want a monetary settlement over what they say are similarities between “Blurred Lines” and songs they own.
Bridgeport Music owns some of 70s band Funkadelic’s compositions and claims “Blurred Lines” is similar to the band’s “Sexy Ways” song.
The Gaye family say Thicke’s hit sounds the same as Gaye’s “Got to Give it Up.”
The lawsuit claims the “Gaye defendants are claiming ownership of an entire genre, as opposed to a specific work.”
Thicke and his co-plaintiffs pre-empted a suit from Bridgeport and the Gaye family to settle the rights and obligations of each party, THR reported.
The lawsuit says Thicke, Williams and Harris Jr. have “the utmost respect for and admiration of Marvin Gaye, Funkadelic and their musical legacies,” but must “reluctantly file this action in the face of multiple adverse claims from alleged successors in interest to those artists.”
“Blurred Lines” is currently in its tenth week atop the Billboard Hot 100.