Ed Sheeran v Marvin Gaye

[Spymaster]

Ed Sheeran is being sued by the family of Marvin Gaye's co-writer, Ed Townsend, who claim that his song Thinking Out Loud, copies Gaye's Let's Get It On.

Here's a comparison:



I don't get where Townsend’s side are coming from.

Interested in opinions from musicians.

existentialist danny la rouge

cesare , can you give Button a shout? Can't seem to tag him.

 

[danny la rouge]

I wasn’t familiar with the Ed Sheeran song, but from that video there’s no similarity in the melodies. Melodies are what you copyright.

I think the chord structure is similar. I’d need to listen again to see how similar. You can’t copyright chord changes.

 

[Voley]

That sounds very tenuous to me. If people start suing for chord structure it'll be nuts.

Hasn't Ed Sheeran only just been through another similar court case? I don't like his music but he doesn't strike me as a ripoff merchant.

 

[ska invita]

If you listen really carefully you can hear greedy family members trying to make money for nothing

 

[pesh]

still, it was funny when they took all Robin Thicke's money off him.

 

[Spymaster]

If you listen really carefully you can hear greedy family members trying to make money for nothing

Dire Straits might have something to say about that.

 

[mojo pixy]

Yes he's ripped off Let's Get it On but that's pop music, behind every hit is some rip off. How is anyone surprised?

 

[Spymaster]

Yes he's ripped off Let's Get it On but that's pop music, behind every hit is some rip off. How is anyone surprised?

How is it ripped off?

What bit?

 

[ska invita]

still, it was funny when they took all Robin Thicke's money off him.

Ha yeah! TBF that one they had a good case .... this one, nah. really hope the Gaye family lose.

 

[mojo pixy]

C / Em / F / G ... It's not exactly rocket science lol. It's more in the strum pattern tbh but it's not exactly the first pop song that resembles another pop song

Sorry Spymaster the quote messed up

 

[Voley]

From that article it sounds like Sheeran sometimes puts lyrics from Let's Get It On into this song live. Seen plenty of people do that as a nod to their influences. Gayes side are describing that as a 'smoking gun'. Not really a big deal imo.

 

[blossie33]

I know the Marvin Gaye song but not the Ed Sheeran one, I'm not a musician but they don't sound very similar to me.

 

[Voley]

There are examples out there much more obvious than this one. Imagine if The Beatles had a pop at Oasis.

 

[surreybrowncap]

But it's not the Gaye family involved.
It's the family of Ed Townsend - the co-writer of the song...

 

[ElizabethofYork]

The songs have similar "feels" and chords, but then so do loads of other songs. It's a bit of a stretch to claim it's a rip-off.

 

[mojo pixy]

The number of songs that use a chord progression I - V - VI - IV (eg C / G / Am / F ) is astonishing. I can't believe this is even an issue in 2023

 

[Cid]

This goes back a while... Here's Adam Neely's breakdown on the music side (4 years ago):



And on the law more generally when Legal Eagle and Neely got together to cover Katie Perry/Flame:

 

[mojo pixy]

There are examples out there much more obvious than this one. Imagine if The Beatles had a pop at Oasis.

Slade would have a better case tbh

 

[Voley]

Whenever this happens I always think how much cooler Elvis Costello was about it:

Elvis Costello defends Olivia Rodrigo over Brutal plagiarism claim

Elvis Costello gives a relaxed response after pop star Olivia Rodrigo is accused of copying his music.

www.bbc.com

 

[souljacker]

I can't have an opinion on this as it would mean me listening to an Ed Sheeran song.

 

[ska invita]

But it's not the Gaye family involved.
It's the family of Ed Townsend - the co-writer of the song...

thanks for the clarification, i was going by the incorrect headline in the OP - blame Spymaster .

 

[danny la rouge]

From that article it sounds like Sheeran sometimes puts lyrics from Let's Get It On into this song live. Seen plenty of people do that as a nod to their influences. Gayes side are describing that as a 'smoking gun'. Not really a big deal imo.

You can swap back and forth between Teenager in Love (Dion and the Belmonts), Stir it Up (Bob Marley), and Oliver’s Army (Elvis Costello), just as an example, because they all go C/Am/F/G. None of them are rip offs of the other.

 

[danny la rouge]

OK, so I’ve listened more to the chord structures. Both Ed and Marvin have used the most common pop song structure for the A section (if you’re in C major it’s C/Am/F/G7). As already noted, literally millions of songs do that. In other sections Let’s Get it On does the common variation of C/Em/F/G7. Both songs do that. Again, this is not remarkable. Literally millions of songs do that.

If the argument is that using the substitution of Am with Em is what’s unique, then that’s bollocks. Millions of songs do that.

They both have a slow soul groove. You can’t copyright a slow soul groove.

I have now heard more Ed Sheeran than I ever anticipated I would. As a result I hate Marvin Gaye’s family. But I’ve tried to be fair.

In my view, this case has no merit at all.

 

[ska invita]

As a result I hate Marvin Gaye’s family.

its not Marvin Gayes family afterall suing, that was spymaster spreading false news...It's the family of Ed Townsend - the co-writer of the song..

 

[danny la rouge]

its not Marvin Gayes family afterall suing, that was spymaster spreading false news...It's the family of Ed Townsend - the co-writer of the song..

I apologise to the Gaye family, and redirect my ire on the family of Ed Townsend, of whom I have only just heard.

 

[JimW]

As a result I hate Marvin Gaye’s family. But I’ve tried to be fair.

Not that fair since you've just been told it's not them bringing the suit
eta ninjaed

 

[JimW]

Perhaps the Gaye family can sue Spymaster for defamation?

 

[Spymaster]

its not Marvin Gayes family afterall suing, that was spymaster spreading false news...It's the family of Ed Townsend - the co-writer of the song..

I wholeheartedly apologise to the Gaye's, for my genuine error.

Please don't sue me.

 

[Spymaster]

Perhaps the Gaye family can sue Spymaster for defamation?

Ha. Snap.

 

[JimW]

I wholeheartedly appologise to the Gaye's, for my genuine error.

Please don't sue me.

Think I'd get a finders fee if I grass you up?