*We all know the story ended with $7.3 million in damages awarded to the family of Marvin Gaye in March, but according to the late singer’s ex-wife, the reason behind their lawsuit over the hit song “Blurred Lines” is one that few people truly understand.
For Jan Gaye, the family’s lawsuit against Pharrell Williams, Robin Thicke and Clifford “T.I.” Harris Jr. came in response to an initial suit brought on by the trio in 2013.
With them facing public accusations of copyright infringement, Thicke, Williams and Harris ultimately filed a suit to defend themselves. For Gaye, the move was an unexpected one that completely blindsided her.
“They sued us because they wanted a judge to issue a summary judgment that said that the song was an original song and that it didn’t infringe on any other copyright or any other song,” she told HuffPost Live while chatting about her book, “After The Dance: My Life With Marvin Gaye.” “You could have knocked me over with a feather when that came in, when I got that news that they were [pursuing] this suit.”
Once they heard about the lawsuit, Gaye mentioned that her family “had to” countersue Thicke, Williams and Harris. From there, the wheels were set in motion as enough evidence surfaced to go to trial after a judge rejected the motion for summary judgment in the case.
“With ‘Blurred Lines,’ they crossed the line. That’s the way we felt,” Gaye said.
To see Gaye’s HuffPost Live Conversation, check out the video below:
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