midnightman
03-15-2015, 10:31 PM
Janis Gaye: Family has no plan to sue over 'Happy'
Susan Whitall, The Detroit News 6:13 p.m. EDT March 13, 2015
As far as those reports about Marvin Gaye's family intending to sue Pharrell Williams over his Grammy-winning song "Happy," believe only half of what you see and nothing that you hear.
After Tuesday's decision by a federal jury in Los Angeles that the Robin Thicke/Pharrell Williams song "Blurred Lines" infringed upon Marvin Gaye's 1977 hit "Got to Give it Up," a reporter asked if the family thought "Happy" sounded like Gaye's 1965 song "Ain't That Peculiar."
Still emotional over the verdict, the Motown legend's daughter, Nona, and ex-wife Janis Gaye agreed when asked if they heard similarities between the two songs.
However, no legal action is planned against Williams, insisted Janis Gaye.
"We're not contemplating any claims against Pharrell and 'Happy' at all," she said in a telephone interview Friday with The Detroit News. "None. I can't think of anything that could be further from the truth.
"We're just content with the fact that eight jurors felt the same way that we did, that there were substantial similarities [[between "Blurred Lines" and "Got to Give it Up"), and that we won the case. We're happy that Marvin's legacy has been protected."
Reportedly Williams and Thicke will appeal the $7.4 million "Blurred Lines" verdict.
swhitall@detroitnews.com
twitter.com/swhitall
Susan Whitall, The Detroit News 6:13 p.m. EDT March 13, 2015
As far as those reports about Marvin Gaye's family intending to sue Pharrell Williams over his Grammy-winning song "Happy," believe only half of what you see and nothing that you hear.
After Tuesday's decision by a federal jury in Los Angeles that the Robin Thicke/Pharrell Williams song "Blurred Lines" infringed upon Marvin Gaye's 1977 hit "Got to Give it Up," a reporter asked if the family thought "Happy" sounded like Gaye's 1965 song "Ain't That Peculiar."
Still emotional over the verdict, the Motown legend's daughter, Nona, and ex-wife Janis Gaye agreed when asked if they heard similarities between the two songs.
However, no legal action is planned against Williams, insisted Janis Gaye.
"We're not contemplating any claims against Pharrell and 'Happy' at all," she said in a telephone interview Friday with The Detroit News. "None. I can't think of anything that could be further from the truth.
"We're just content with the fact that eight jurors felt the same way that we did, that there were substantial similarities [[between "Blurred Lines" and "Got to Give it Up"), and that we won the case. We're happy that Marvin's legacy has been protected."
Reportedly Williams and Thicke will appeal the $7.4 million "Blurred Lines" verdict.
swhitall@detroitnews.com
twitter.com/swhitall