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[Jibbajabbawockky]

Thicke admits he was drunk and taking Norco — "which is like two Vicodin in one pill," he says.

Except Norco and Vicodin are basically just 2 brand names for the same exact generic drug (Hydrocodone + Acetaminophen), with Vicodin having less acetaminophen.

 

[AkuMifune]

Impeachment. He says he can do something, but then he's lying - that affects the veracity of his testimony.

Actually, (I think) it goes back to his defense in an earlier part of the testimony where he referenced you can tell it's not a copy by looking at the sheet music.

Pharrell: I have the utmost respect for Marvin Gaye and his music and he is one of the patriarchs. he is one of the best. But here's the thing, you can't trademark a groove." If I play a song, which a lot of my new hip hop and rap records are, that's done in a six-eight time signature. Charlie Parkers family is not going to sue me for that. Do you understand what I'm saying? If I do a salsa beat right now, Ricky Martin's family is not going to come looking for me. Because that's what we're dealing with. We're dealing with the idea that someone feels like a groove is proprietary. And it's not. Music is and the notes are and when you look at the sheet music, then you know."

Heh.

 

[mre]

So much for designating that transcript as "confidential."

 

[riotous]

Except Norco and Vicodin are basically just 2 brand names for the same exact generic drug (Hydrocodone + Acetaminophen), with Vicodin having less acetaminophen.

Yeah I caught that too.

Pill addicts often seem to know nothing about the difference between all the pills. As someone who has pain management issues I've had addict friends try to argue the dumbest things based on what they've apparently tricked themselves to believe lol. "No way man hydros are definitely weaker than Norcos" :facepalm:

 

[GungHo]

Wait I'm confused, why are they quizzing Pharrell with sheet music?

They are trying to establish whether or not they ripped off Marvin Gaye. Basically they are saying that Pharrell, while talented, doesn't actually know how to write music therefore it is very difficult for him to claim that he created the overall composition.

He's basically saying "Pharell ripped off Marvin Gaye, not me."

That thumping sound you just heard was Pharrell Williams being run over by a bus.

 

[joeygreco1985]

AHAHAHAHAH haven't seen this before!

 

[Jarnet87]

You are right Pharrell that if you do your own salsa song ricky martin won't come after you, but if you take the music from living la vida loca and just put new lyrics on it he'll sue your ass.

 

[Trident]

I'm confused as to what part is stolen?

The instruments sound the same, but the actual rhythm/melody being played on them seems different. Am I missing something? You can't sue someone for using the same instruments as you.

 

[JumpJeff84]

I'm a huge, huge fan of Marvin Gaye, and 'Got To Give It Up' is one of my all time favorite songs. I love it.

I consider myself a music nerd, but I gotta say I don't think that 'Blurred Lines' sounds like a direct rip-off of Marvin's song. It's obviously inspired by it, and I can definitely hear the similarities in the bassline, but it's no more similar than countless soundalike rock songs that use the same riffs or 3-chord structure.

All the hate for Robin Thicke aside, does anyone actually think the songs are so similar that it constitutes plagiarism? Like worthy of a lawsuit? I guess that Marvin's estate is probably suing mostly as a reaction to the fact that they were sued in the first place.

What do you guys honestly think?

 

[show me your skeleton]

Basically they are saying that Pharrell, while talented, doesn't actually know how to write music therefore it is very difficult for him to claim that he created the overall composition.

that's a dangerous accusation to make.

 

[Clydefrog]

I didn't know about this so I just listened to the two songs. They both have similar percussion (I don't know what the instrument is, it's like someone tapping on a soup can) and both use a falsetto, that's about it. I don't think they should have bothered to sue first, no one would have noticed.

Case closed, folks.

 

[TarpitCarnivore]

So if Pharrell can't read sheet music is it possible a third person actually wrote the song?

Do you know how many musicians can't read sheet music? There is a reason the joke of "How do you stop X from playing? Put sheet music in front of them." came about.

 

[Sol..]

So if Pharrell can't read sheet music is it possible a third person actually wrote the song?

I'm 76% certain you don't need to know how to read music to operate a drum machine.

 

[GungHo]

that's a dangerous accusation to make.

Take it up with the lawyers. I'm just translating the strategy, not making the argument.

 

[Borgnine]

Ding ding ding diggy ding ding, ding DING ding ding diggy ding ding. That little bitty change, it's not the same.

 

[Fjordson]

Poor guy. I'd probably go off the deep end too if I lost a woman as perfect as Paula Patton (though I guess some of this went on before they split).

 

[JumpJeff84]

Ding ding ding diggy ding ding, ding DING ding ding diggy ding ding. That little bitty change, it's not the same.

I loved you in 'Spike Of Bensonhurst'.

 

[bobbychalkers]

Somehow this is all Chad Hugo's fault.

 

[Ri'Orius]

The songs interleaved. I can pick up some similarities, and I'm by no means a music expert, but it doesn't sound too damming to me. /shrug

 

[GungHo]

Ding ding ding diggy ding ding, ding DING ding ding diggy ding ding. That little bitty change, it's not the same.

Ice ice baby

 

[Robbit]

Lol, Pharrell can't read music. I'd be willing to bet most people making annoying pop songs can't. Robin Thicke is going off the deep end.. it'll be interesting to see where he's at a year from now.

 

[show me your skeleton]

Take it up with the lawyers. I'm just translating the strategy, not making the argument.

i get you, that wasn't what i meant. it's understandable that lawyers will use any tactic to win their case but hopefully this won't set some kind of precedent as it's on really awful ground.

 

[jeanRicK]

The songs interleaved. I can pick up some similarities, and I'm by no means a music expert, but it doesn't sound too damming to me. /shrug

Yeah, the progressions sound different enough to me ... *shrugs

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

To be fair, it's the 21st century. The ability to read sheet music has as much to do with expertly producing a song using Logic or Pro Tools as one's ability to tune a lute. As long as you understand intervals and harmony it's an utterly irrelevant skill set.

 

[FloatingDivider]

I always thought this sounded more like a pharrel joint than a robin thicke joint, down to the awkward switches from falsetto to regular voice stuff which pharell usually does because he's obviously not the worlds best singer. Also to the people saying pharrell can't read sheet music - Wasn't the dude in band in highschool? I'm fairly sure you learn to read some music there.

 

[maxcriden]

Just want to make sure I understand. So Williams, the same guy everyone praises for making the "Happy" song about its positive messages, wrote this song, which everyone derides for its misogyny?

 

[ReturnOfTheRAT]

Reading that, Pharrell was better off with NERD. Now he's high on his own bullshit.

 

[Riposte]

I didn't even know there was a court case about this song.

It's kind of a shitty song.

There's an area song in FFXIV: A Realm Reborn that reminds me of it and it seriously pisses me off because it won't leave my head. It's not like I wanted to ever hear it, but now its stuck in my head. Why did I watch ever watch that music video? Actually nevermind I know why.

 

[rashbeep]

I'm a huge, huge fan of Marvin Gaye, and 'Got To Give It Up' is one of my all time favorite songs. I love it.

I consider myself a music nerd, but I gotta say I don't think that 'Blurred Lines' sounds like a direct rip-off of Marvin's song. It's obviously inspired by it, and I can definitely hear the similarities in the bassline, but it's no more similar than countless soundalike rock songs that use the same riffs or 3-chord structure.

All the hate for Robin Thicke aside, does anyone actually think the songs are so similar that it constitutes plagiarism? Like worthy of a lawsuit? I guess that Marvin's estate is probably suing mostly as a reaction to the fact that they were sued in the first place.

What do you guys honestly think?

I'm with you on this.. There are other examples of plagiarism worse than "Blurred lines"

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

Damn so he did put it all on Pharrell.

lol at the Pharrell quiz. Crazy, I didn't know he couldn't read music. Hes still incredibly talented. The guy has synesthesia and probably has his own method of writing music.

I dunno about those songs though. It definitely sounds like he ripped off Marvin Gaye

 

[Loakum]

Looks like the Gaye estate is about to get paid!

(as they should, because he obviously stole Marvin Gaye's music for Blurred Lines AND Million Dollar Baby)

 

[BeatResetsTheWorld]

Just want to make sure I understand. So Williams, the same guy everyone praises for making the "Happy" song about its positive messages, wrote this song, which everyone derides for its misogyny?

It's like some of you hadn't heard of Pharell until "Happy" came out. I'm getting flashes of Ceelo's "Fuck You" and how people had never heard of Gnarles Barkley or Goodie Mob before it.

For fucks sake, he's on the songs "Lapdance" and "Let's Get Blown"

 

[maxcriden]

It's like some of you hadn't heard of Pharell until "Happy" came out. I'm getting flashes of Ceelo's "Fuck You" and how people had never heard of Gnarles Barkley or Goodie Mob before it.

For fucks sake, he's on the songs "Lapdance" and "Let's Get Blown"

I'd heard of him, and FWIW I don't like the song "Happy." It just seems disingenuous that he's being praised for its positive message when he writes stuff like "Blurred Lines."

 

[JumpJeff84]

I'd heard of him, and FWIW I don't like the song "Happy." It just seems disingenuous that he's being praised for its positive message when he writes stuff like "Blurred Lines."

Pretty much the same as Marvin Gaye. He had songs about fucking, social protest songs, songs about love, songs about Jesus, songs about being addicted to heroin.

 

[maxcriden]

Pretty much the same as Marvin Gaye. He had songs about fucking, social protest songs, songs about love, songs about Jesus, songs about being addicted to heroin.

You don't see me proselytizing for Marvin Gaye either.

 

[Kyzer]

Don't really care if pharrel can read music or not but that kinda changes when he says he can

 

[Robbit]

Pharrell is not talented you guys. He's the equivalent of celebrity actors/music artist "designers" where actual designers present a bunch of ideas and the celebrity picks what they like from the bunch, thus taking all of the credit.

 

[Bubbavelli]

Pharrell is not talented you guys. He's the equivalent of celebrity actors/music artist "designers" where actual designers present a bunch of ideas and the celebrity picks what they like from the bunch, thus taking all of the credit.

A 20+ year career spanning different genres as a producer, singer, and a rapper begs to differ

 

[Alienous]

This is just sad.

 

[Oersted]

Thicke: I actually didn´t write it, Pharell did and I was on drugs all the time.

Pharell: I can´t read musicsheets, therefore I couldn´t copy it.

Just beautiful.

 

[Mariolee]

Thicke: I actually didn´t write it, Pharell did and I was on drugs all the time.

Pharell: I can´t read musicsheets, therefore I couldn´t copy it.

Just beautiful.

Plot twist: there was never a song in the first place, but simply a collective hallucination by the whole world.

 

[Jo Shishido's Cheeks]

Pharrell is not talented you guys. He's the equivalent of celebrity actors/music artist "designers" where actual designers present a bunch of ideas and the celebrity picks what they like from the bunch, thus taking all of the credit.

Pharrell has produced over 1,000 songs during the past 20 years, the majority of which have been written and produced solo.

What the fuck are you even talking about?
I'd love tho know who these people behind him who are actually making the music are...?

 

[Dr.Acula]

Thicke: I actually didn´t write it, Pharell did and I was on drugs all the time.

Pharell: I can´t read musicsheets, therefore I couldn´t copy it.

Just beautiful.

T.I. is actually three kids in a trench coat.

 

[enigmatic_alex44]

Pharrell is not talented you guys. He's the equivalent of celebrity actors/music artist "designers" where actual designers present a bunch of ideas and the celebrity picks what they like from the bunch, thus taking all of the credit.

ugh what? How can someone with such a flawless avatar/username combo (LOVE Jumping Flash <3) make such a flop post? Pharrell's talented and been in the game for YEARS. I'm certainly a fan. What you're describing is a manufactured celeb, someone like Britney Spears.

Robin deserves all the backlash he's getting btw. With what he did to Paula Patton it's KARMA! (plus his abysmal album sales loool)

 

[GungHo]

Pharrell has produced over 1,000 songs during the past 20 years, the majority of which have been written and produced solo.

What the fuck are you even talking about?
I'd love tho know who these people behind him who are actually making the music are...?

If you squint real hard, there's a "hey hey hey HAY" key.

 

[Two Words]

Robin Thicke was cooler with the long hair. Anyone ever hear, "When I Get You Alone."?

The hair was like the source of his power.

 

[tim.mbp]

The songs interleaved. I can pick up some similarities, and I'm by no means a music expert, but it doesn't sound too damming to me. /shrug

the keyboard/organ sounds like they are playing the same thing on both songs. On Marvin's song it's a little harder to hear.

 

[Kyzer]

Reading music == musical talent. Someone back me up. Amazing artists who never learned music theory

 

[Robbit]

Pharrell has produced over 1,000 songs during the past 20 years, the majority of which have been written and produced solo.

What the fuck are you even talking about?
I'd love tho know who these people behind him who are actually making the music are...?

Alright, I was too harsh. Maybe I'm just not over Pharrell's change in direction the past few years. He's playing it safe.

 

[Courage]

I really like Pharell. Can't wait to here some incredibly disappointing fact about him.

He has a very skewed view on race issues; he's the new black apparently

He's also a terrible singer

Let's not forget most Neptunes production, other than some classics, sound goofy and outdated as fuck nowadays.