According to the Associated Press, Ed Sheeran appeared as a witness in a New York trial on Tuesday to deny charges that his blockbuster song ‘Thinking Out Loud’ stole Marvin Gaye’s soul classic ‘Let’s Get It On’. The family of Gaye’s co-writer Ed Townsend, who was behind the 1973 soul classic, has sued the English star of infringing on their copyright, claiming that his 2014 hit has “striking similarities” and “overt common elements” with Gaye’s song. Keisha Rice, the plaintiff’s attorney, cross-examined Sheeran, who was dressed in a dark suit and tie, and the evidence was confrontational at points. Sheeran denied stealing the tune, claiming he wrote it himself.
He responded to a video aired in court that showed him flawlessly moving between the two songs by claiming that while it is easy to blend music in the same key, he would be a fool to do so on stage in front of 20,000 people. Earlier in the day, Ben Crump, the attorney for Townsend’s heirs, told jurors that the combination of the two songs was akin to “a confession.” “We have a smoking gun,” he said, referring to the concert footage showing Sheeran switching between the two songs. (https://winandoffice.com) Crump claimed that the case was about “giving credit where credit is due.”
Ilene Farkas, Sheeran’s lawyer, maintained that he and his co-writer, Amy Wadge, wrote their song separately
Ilene Farkas, Sheeran’s lawyer, maintained that he and his co-writer, Amy Wadge, wrote their song separately and did not draw inspiration from Townsend and Gaye’s work. Farkas noted that the chord progression and basic building blocks used in Sheeran’s song are common and did not originate in ‘Let’s Get It On.’ Since its premiere in 1973, ‘Let’s Get It On’ has been used in countless films and commercials, and it has gotten hundreds of millions of streams, spins, and radio plays. In 2016, ‘Thinking Out Loud’ received a Grammy for Song of the Year. The complaint was filed in 2017, and the trial might run up to two weeks.
Townsend, who was a singer, songwriter, and lawyer, as well as the author of the 1958 R&B doo-wop classic ‘For Your Love,’ died in 2003. His daughter, Kathryn Townsend Gryphon, is the principal plaintiff in the action. During her testimony, she stated that she believes Ed Sheeran is a brilliant artist with a promising future, but that she must safeguard her father’s legacy.