For Some, Happiness Is A Charge Of Plagiarism

Because I'm old and I don't find it that relatable, I don't pay attention to current popular music. So, naturally, I missed the most infectious slice of R and B to come along since Marvin Gaye last charted.

Speaking of Marvin Gaye, there are rumblings from his estate about plagiarism and lawsuits, directed at this very song.

Hmmm.

While I acknowledge that the verses are somewhat like Gaye's "Got To Give It Up" in terms of their backbeat, and their light, somewhat jazzy articulation, there's not enough concrete similarity to justify a lawsuit.

Gaye's 1965 hit, "Ain't That Peculiar" has also been alleged to be a source for this song, but that claim is even more ludicrous.

For most folks, all it takes to declare that songs "sound alike" is for the songs to be in the same key (See Creedence's "Green River", The Hollies' "Long Cool Woman", and Dwight Twilley Band's "I'm On Fire"). And all it takes to force songs into the same key is some software.

Yes, there's a version of this out there somewhere that's been forced into the key of E, just to make the case for plagiarism.

Here come bad news
Talkin' this and that

Anyway, here, for the consideration of old people everywhere (but certainly not as old as my parents), is Pharrell Williams with my current obsession, "Happy".