It took the jury eight days to decide that Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams improperly copied elements of Gaye's "Got to Give It Up." This trial was bigger than just deciding if "Blurred Lines" and "Got to Give It Up" sounded similar. The way an artist draws inspiration, and their creative process, was on trial as well. Thicke, Williams, and T.I's attorney, Howard King, opened his arguments with a statement regarding an artist's creative process. "We're going to show you what you already know. No one owns a genre or a style or a groove. To be inspired by Marvin Gaye is an honorable thing," King said (via Billboard magazine). King tried to prove that tons of songs have similarities, but that does not mean they were stolen or infringed …show more content…
Thicke took the stand and sang parts of Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror," Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry," U2's "With or Without You," and The Beatles' "Let It Be," in order to prove that all of those songs have similar melodies and arrangements. Williams testified that "Blurred Lines" has a 1970s feeling, and one particular artist does not own that sound or style. The producer did admit he admires Gaye, but he did not draw his inspiration to create "Blurred Lines" by Gaye's music alone. The Gaye family's attorney, Richard Busch, kept his arguments very simple. Busch argued that "Blurred Lines" and "Got to Give It Up" sounded exactly the same, and anyone who listens to the both records can hear the similarities. Busch argued that Thicke and Williams stole every aspect of "Got to Give It Up." King even stated that Thicke's vocals on "Blurred Lines" sounded exactly like Gaye's voice on "Got to Give It Up." King also questioned Thicke's credibility, by asking them if they could ever trust someone who admitted to lying during a deposition. Busch's closing arguments stated that Williams and Thicke copied Gaye's song, and they both admitted that they
Such as, how Tupac used his song “Changes” to refer to the institutionalized racism in America in regards to law enforcement and so forth. On example from his lyrics states, “Cops give a damn about a negro/ Pull the trigger, kill a nigga, he's a hero.” Another commonly known song that makes ties with Hill’s is Kanye’s song “When It All Falls Down.” Kanye wanted the ties of her lyrics incorporated into his song so much that after his failed attempted to get Lauryn Hills sample cleared he got a replacement singer to perform it on his song alternatively. However, his concept for this song was different as its purpose was more of a self-contemplation of his individualized battle with consumerism. Today society is affected by artists like Lauryn Hill and her lyrics and often quote lyrics like that of hers as references for equality and moral rights in modern society. Today more than ever the incarceration rates are raising extremely. Not to mention, in the past year we have seen some of the biggest out cries for our African American communities with people using the power of social media to come together on a common ground in regards to law enforcement unjustly killing African Americans and other minorities while in the attempt of arresting them. With that being said as Lauryn Hills lyrics state “Ya'll can't handle the truth in a courtroom of lies. Representing security/Holding the word of God
I chose “Here We Aren’t, So Quickly” by Johnathan Sofran Foer, and “Wake Up Call” by Megan McGuire. They have similar underlying themes and will be an interesting comparison. “Here We Aren’t, So Quickly” is about what seems to be a daydream about the future relationship between two lovers and how it evolves over the course of their adults lives. “Wake Up Call” is about the relationship between a girl and her parents as she grows up from adolescence in to young adulthood. .
Regarding his choice on material for the album Legend said, “because the late-Sixties/early-Seventies was such a fertile time for music about fighting for rights and fighting for justice, the songs from that era did fit in perfectly with what we were trying to get across message-wise” (1). He also stated part of his mission with the creation of this album was to rediscover overlooked songs from famous albums or artists. He especially wanted to shine a light on songs he thought were still beautiful and interesting, but maybe weren’t hits at the time of their release. When going in depth on this, John Legend spoke of his interpretations of the songs and how he made it his own for current release. When interviewed, Legend stated that he didn’t overthink what he was trying to bring to the table versus the old versions. He clarified, “I mean, while we did do quite different interpretations of songs like Eugene McDaniels’ “Compared To What,” and Donny Hathaway’s “Little Ghetto Boy,” on other songs we stuck more closely to the original arrangement while at the same time kinda freshening it up for 2010... Then on some others we added raps, on others we did crazy things at the end”
The music of today has many songs in which there is a hidden meaning or stories behind the song. The song " Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke and Pharrell is a song with a hidden meaning given much to talk about , another song which has a similar meaning with previous song is "You Do Not Even Know It " by Rick Ross. The intent of this paper is to compare song to song through its similar meaning. Both of these songs have a very rough meaning. These songs are inspired in hidden personalities , lies , appearances, violation , drugs , sex, etc. In " Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke and Pharrell it talks about rape and sexual assault and all of these because of the use of alcohol and drugs. In "You Do Not Even Know It " by Rick Ross it also talks about how some people appearencess are not what they really are in
An identity crisis is defined as a period, at which an individual struggles with one's own sense of self. I believe that everyone goes through such a crisis at one point or another; however, I do not feel it is correct to say, everyone goes through this type of crisis entering their first year of college. Now, I am not say that someone can’t have an identity crisis entering college for the first time, for is was made clear in the essay, that some people can indeed, have a sudden realization of either finding or losing one’s self in college. In turn, it is fair to say that most people do develop a sort of crisis when embarking in the college life. It's a time in your life when you experience the world in a new light—and usually on your own.
Trials come with all great things, right? This must be true because “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” was recorded numerous times before Marvin Gaye released the famous version that is still popular today (Carlos). The song was first recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, but Motown’s owner refused to release it. The version by Glady’s Knight & the Pips received some success. However, Marvin Gaye’s version is the one that is in the history books (Carlos).
Throughout the years many people have put their feelings about the United States Justice system into poems or songs. We have heard various artist refer to the system as being very corrupt and about public officials abusing their power. In 2002, Lauryn Hill released the MTV Unplugged 2.0 album. On this album, there were twenty-one songs. One of the songs was called “The Mystery of Iniquity”. This song featured many verses that reflect the corruption in the American legal system. This song also reveals many significant facts about America’s justice system. Finally, in this song she instructs people to wake up and realize that everything the government tells us is not the truth. Lauryn Hill has never been shy when expressing her beliefs in her songs. Lauryn Hill was first with the Fugees when America first heard her unique voice. As a singer and rapper, she has always been very
Trust, Gary. "Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines' Is Billboard's Song of the Summer." Billboard 100, 5 Sept. 2013. Web. 24 Nov. 2013.
Movies portray mental illness in multitude of ways, most of the films portray it subtly but some portray a mental illness so explicitly, in order to entertain and simultaneously educate the audience on the illness. One of the films that explicitly highlights different mental illnesses is Call Me Crazy: A Five Film (Call Me Crazy). This movie showcases the lives of five people dealing with mental illness or having a close relative dealing with a mental illness. There are four mental disorders that are blatantly described in the film; schizophrenia, bipolar, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Furthermore, there are two lenses in which a film can portray a mental illness; through
To judge someone by his or her inability to move is catagorized under the same branch of prejudices of racism and homophobia. Though their limbs may not function in the way their brain desires them to, their hearts beat for a sense of unity and equality, that they rightfully deserve. People labeled as “crippled,” “disabled,” or “immobile” are often ostracized by “the healthy” and treated in both a demeaning manner and a misinterpreted charitable aid. Essays written, by wheelchair bound writers include “Disability” and “On Being a Cripple”, by Nancy Mairs, “Why the Able Bodied Still Don’t Get It,” by Andre Dubus, and “Should I Have Been Killed at Birth,” by Harriet McBryde Johnson, discuss their personal experiences and opinions on the two,
The gay rights movement has been a shadow throughout history, recently coming to light in a growing fight for equality. Gay pride rallies frequent the news, and a recent Supreme Court decision allowing same-sex marriage has shaken the roots of what many consider tradition in America. Only a determined community, one tired of being denied basic rights, could make this stunning change. However, such an achievement was years in the making, lead with chart-topping songs, documentaries, interviews, and best-selling books to broaden horizons. One of the most influential songs was a rap written and performed by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis which includes a chorus sung by Mary Lambert. Macklemore’s accurate incorporation of the struggle for gay rights with powerful lyrics and a moving music
Throughout America’s history, people have been expressing their thoughts and feelings toward social injustices by violently acting against condescending authoritative figures, but not everyone chose to share their point of view this way. Marvin Gaye was an extremely influential individual during the late 1960’s to the early 1970’s, where he not only sang about his personal problems and past relationships, but also provided a voice for the people of his city who were being marginalized and scapegoated for things that were unreasonably implicated. After being absent from the music industry due to personal problems, he returned to the scene with politically charged and socially empowered songs that were inspired
Lawnge took charge of most of the production and his presence was an homage to famous DJ and rap crews. Similar to DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, each member played a crucial role in creating the production. In great hip hop fashion, samples were used such as Luther Vandross and disses were readily available. This was one of my favorite songs because it mentioned the famous “Funky Drummer” sample from James Brown and claimed rappers using it were unoriginal. In addition, they took fire against the thought of hip hop music one day being appropriated. When it comes to social relevance, this song stands the test of time and drops jewels to the listening audience.
When I was little, everyone wanted me to be someone everyone expected me to be. My family wanted me to be the person that I knew I wasn’t, but as I grew and knew a little bit more about life, I realized that I should always be my own person because that’s how I am and no one can change that about someone. Even though there are people wanting me to be someone I'm not, I choose to be my own person,and it takes an independent person to grow and become who he or she really is. The characters Uncle Basil from “You Can't Take It With You” and Cassia from The Matched show independence because they both realize that they cannot be what society expects of them.
From the time I could remember shame has been a learning experience. Many people have their own opinions about shame; I however, believe shame is useful and a necessary component of society. When feeling shame, you show your true colors and the way you respond to certain actions. When you are put on the spot you do not think about what you’re going to do, it happens out of habit and that shows what type of person you are. Shame holds society together, helps you learn from your mistakes and brings out the morals people live by.