Taylor Swift Is Facing A Trial Over Plagiarism Accusations In The Lyrics Of "Shake It Off" -

[geechiedan]

Taylor Swift, riding high on the jubilant reception of her new album release, is going to trial over accusations that she lifted lyrics for her song "Shake It Off" from a 2000 song with the lyrics "playas, they gon' play" and "haters, they gonna hate."

The copyright lawsuit, filed in 2017, alleged that Swift copied the lines "players gonna play" and "haters gonna hate" from a 3LW song, "Playas Gon' Play," written by Sean Hall and Nathan Butler.

The lawsuit was tossed in 2018 by a judge who declared the lyrics "too banal" to be copyrighted. Hall and Butler appealed the ruling, and a court reversed it in 2019, saying that their complaint "still plausibly alleged originality."

Judge Michael Fitzgerald, who originally dismissed the case, denied Swift's request to do so again Thursday.

In his ruling, Fitzgerald wrote that though Swift's team made "persuasive arguments" about how her hit 2014 song is different from "Playas Gon' Play," there is a "possibility that there is still a genuine dispute as to the potential substantial similarity between the lyrics and their sequential structure."

The case will go to a jury trial but a date has not yet been set.

Peter Anderson, who is representing Swift in the lawsuit, did not respond to a request for comment. The singer's spokesperson told the Guardian that the lawsuit "is not a crusade for all creatives, it is a crusade for Mr. Hall’s bank account."

Hall and Butler’s attorney, Marina Bogorad, told BuzzFeed News in a statement that they were "extremely satisfied" with the ruling.

"It reinforces the notion that their unique self-expression based on the deeply rooted cultural heritage cannot be simply snatched away without proper attribution," Bogorad said. "We are pleased that the court refused to engage into a battle of the experts, especially given that defendants’ resources vastly outweigh those of our clients here, and it is about time that justice should serve the merits rather than deep pockets."

On Friday, 3LW posted on social media to clarify that they are not behind the lawsuit, and asked Swift's fans to stop aiming their anger at the group.

"There is nothing but love and respect for Taylor and her team," the group said. "3LW had nothing to do with this case. Please direct all hate elsewhere."

It's not the first time Swift has been sued over her lyrics in "Shake It Off." In 2015, musician Jesse Graham, who has a song called "Haters Gonna Hate," sued her for $42 million, alleging that "Taylor Swift would not have written 'Shake It Off' had he not written 'Haters gone hate.'"



YOU BE THE JUDGE

 

[geechiedan]

 

[g0nbad real bad]

How well did those girls age??

 

[World B Free]

"I'm overcharging niggas for what they did to the Cold Crush"

 

[tallblacknyc]

Damn it’s been 21 yrs since I first met them at the black expo in nyc..talk about time flying

 

[RoomService]

Raw

 

[Shadow]

So haters gon' hate is such a common phrase how would anyone determine plagiarism?

3LW did age nicely, or the two who are still somewhat in the spotlight anyway.

 

[THREAD_CRITIC]

Lmao talk about a reach

 

[bgbtylvr]

They gon have to keep them jobs at Wendy’s

 

[geechiedan]

Robin thicke got sued for a song that FELT like a marvin gaye song but copying phrases from a lyric from a song from 20 years ago is a reach??

If the songwriter put those phrases together and put it on a track and swift copied it it very well could be plagiarism.

just saying

 

[Dannyblueyes]

On Friday, 3LW posted on social media to clarify that they are not behind the lawsuit, and asked Swift's fans to stop aiming their anger at the group.

This is the real issue right here!

Publishing companies buying an artist's catalog and squeezing it for every red cent they can get. Knowing full well that the artist will be the one who comes out looking like an asshole. It is easily the most soulless part of the music industry.

Hall and Butler’s attorney, Marina Bogorad, told BuzzFeed News in a statement that they were "extremely satisfied" with the ruling.

"It reinforces the notion that their unique self-expression based on the deeply rooted cultural heritage cannot be simply snatched away without proper attribution," Bogorad said.

It's horribly ironic that the publishing company is making this argument, but the people who wrote the song aren't. IMHO that's the real cultural appropriation here.

 

[geechiedan]

 

[Dr. Truth]

Post the Taylor swift song I don’t know what that shit sounds like

 

[Lexx Diamond]

Aw hell naw. Not a white girl stealing.

 

[EchoCrash]

They allowed the Gaye estate to sue over “nostalgia” and a song having a similar feel… and win.
She’s not in the clear.

 

[big enos burrnet]

Yuuup let this play out...

 

[TENT]

This. I was just thinking about this today. It is the biggest injustice when it comes to entertainment. I still can't believe this happened.

Robin thicke got sued for a song that FELT like a marvin gaye song but copying phrases from a lyric from a song from 20 years ago is a reach??

If the songwriter out those phrases together and put it on a track and swift copied it it very well could be plagiarism.

just saying

 

[RUDY RAYYY MO]

They gon have to keep them jobs at Wendy’s

They who?

 

[Star]

'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off (Whoo-hoo-hoo)

I understand, But would say it is a far stretch

This is like getting sued for singing The sky is blue

 

[lightbright]

@Entrepronegro will stage a coup now



.

 

[Coldchi]

White people don't steal black people music and lyrics...
....this has to be a mistake.

Lol

 

[THREAD_CRITIC]

Robin thicke got sued for a song that FELT like a marvin gaye song but copying phrases from a lyric from a song from 20 years ago is a reach??

If the songwriter out those phrases together and put it on a track and swift copied it it very well could be plagiarism.

just saying

Blurred lines was a complete rip off. Players going to play haters going to hate was a phrase kats was saying for years them songwriters didn't come up with that shit

 

[geechiedan]

Blurred lines was a complete rip off. Players going to play haters going to hate was a phrase kats was saying for years them songwriters didn't come up with that shit

remember this



peep the intro

Music video by Christión performing Full Of Smoke. (C) 1996 Roc-A-Fella Records, LLC

the estate of curtis mayfield should have sued those guys....if that song ever gets popular again

 

[SPECTRE1]

1. We need to form an association to fight these virtual smash and grabs, there is strength in numbers. I had my work show up in many movies and songs, and got no offers, of course they don't want me getting paid allowing me to leave the country, increasing security, or having housing on 100 acres with fencing.
2. The Tik Tok vampires tried to get the NBA involved to cosign their theft of black creators, these are well organized operations.
3. I would have claimed that you cowrote the song with her or that you have a business relationship with Taylor Swift. Technically, this is what they have created by stealing your work. I have used this tactics against thieves in the past. They couldn't do nothing to stop me, they created this entanglement with them, that I use for my benefit. You can pitch your music to her vast fan base using her name as a keyword in the search.
4. It is dangerous as a black artist, blasting her out in the courts.
5. If they are using a large white record company, you need to get them involved, they are depriving them of revenue. Don't be poor black music artist against a major white record company/artist.

When word got around that Gaye was planning a musical comeback and an exit from Motown, CBS Urban president Larkin Arnold eventually was able to convince Gaye to sign with CBS Records. On March 23, 1982, Motown and CBS negotiated Gaye's release from Motown

The Gaye estate got paid because he signed with a white record company suing a white recording artist/record company.
6. You have to shut down their schemes, otherwise it will get out of hand when they overinflate their abilities. This is why you see me exposing retarded schemes all the time on BGOL. For too long we have not exposed their feeble minded schemes, no wonder they feel over confident coming at me.

 

[Sango]

remember this



peep the intro

Music video by Christión performing Full Of Smoke. (C) 1996 Roc-A-Fella Records, LLC

the estate of curtis mayfield should have sued those guys....if that song ever gets popular again

Classic.

 

[Entrepronegro]

@Entrepronegro will stage a coup now



.

Taylor did not steal anything they need to leave my baby alone.

 

[SPECTRE1]

If you can get them to file a lawsuit, it gives you the upper hand, you are not this troll looking for money. I am using their image or likeness to promote my business. You are giving them an out by saying you wrote a song in a business relationship, this is tactic that police use against suspects.
I have been investigating far more complex schemes that would blow your mind, this issue is elementary. I am not going to expose what they have done just yet.

You have to be careful approaching white women, they can issue a distress alarm and white men will rush in to protect them.

 

[mangobob79]

only if the corresponding melodies are similar ~

 

[An RnB Thug]

Post the Taylor swift song I don’t know what that shit sounds like

 

[SPECTRE1]

After years of dealing with this chicanery, I have had time to reflect on the best course of action:

A wide range of animals will scent mark their territory, whether a bear or household cat as a natural instinct. As a preemptive step, you need to proclaim anywhere possible that this is your property. You need to have a price already calculated for any artist wanting to use the song such as 3% of the gross revenue or whatever metric the music industry uses. I would create a musician marketplace where rights are sold and traded.

1. This is a widespread problem that many companies have not scent marking. You go into a store, their should be a sign that the merchandise is the property of Walmart until satisfactory payment is made. Don't just have your shit sprawled out with no signage, is this TV mine or Walmart property? Maybe I can just walk out without paying for it. Something like at the entrance of the store would reduce thefts dramatically.

2. The same thing happened with Ahmaud Arbery, walking into that house that was under construction, did the owner have a sign that you are trespassing, it was in this transitional phase of barren land that you can trample on at will to a full house with people living in it. No trespassing sign is a good way to mark an area, to a person, humans use this tactic instead of urine or a scent gland.

3. Women need to let that fool know that this is her body, don't just not say nothing. Prostitutes make this clear from the jump, the incidence of rape is much lower for them probably factoring in the sexual deviants that pursue them.

4. Porch Piracy, the reason this is rampant, the package is in an area that you can enter without the owner permission. With technology, you can push this area to the sidewalk with a camera and get rid of the porch. A fool will come into this area with a $2000 laptop and just take it. Now you are crying to police wanting felony laws.

5. Trade Secrets, companies need to mark every file or research document as property of the company. This prevents a person working at the company from taking it and walking off.

 

[dasmybikepunk]

Shit sound just like Destiny's child, I'm sure if I've ever heard this song on the radio I thought it was them and kept it moving. Not sure of what this is about as I have never, ever heard or intentionally listened to a T.S. song with that said I hope the owners of the rights gets justice and don't understand why anyone would be surprised if this is the case.

...meh