Entertainment: Robin Thicke and his "Blurred Lines" amid Fame and Controversies

As published by The Holywood Reporter:

Billboard's annual Songs of the Summer running tally tracks the most popular songs based on cumulative performance on the weekly Hot 100 chart from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

"Lines" took hold of the top rank on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of June 22 for its first of 12 frames at No. 1. (It cedes the summit to Katy Perry's "Roar" this week.) It ties two other songs for the most weeks tallied at No. 1 on the Hot 100 encompassing charts covering Memorial Day through Labor Day: Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together," the top summer song of 2005, which collected 12 of its 14 total weeks on top in that span, and Brandy & Monica's "The Boy Is Mine," which notched 12 of its 13 weeks at No. 1 in the Songs of the Summer chart's tracking period in 1998.

Note: The infectious groove, catchy title and lyrics caught the attention of many Filipino tele-viewers as it became a 'sample moves and stinger' in the most-watched noontime show, "It's Showtime", courtesy of ABS-CBN Channel 2.

Robin Thicke is truly blossoming to become a modern-day crooner, in the likes of Frank Sinatra, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Tom Jones.

A crooner with a funk beat who is setting that kind of trend with his songs.

Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines", now the #1 song in 46 (and counting) countries around the world is bombarded with both fame and controversies.

“Blurred Lines” became my latest ‘earworm’ as I can’t get enough with its infectious sound and beat. Never mind the wordings, since the title aptly indicates a no-nonsense composition, although it repeatedly emphasizes on having a good girl in one man’s life.

As popularity of Robin Thicke surges, his #1 song became the target of criticisms from different sectors in American society.

1. Negative comments from feminist groups all over the world. They said that it is too rapey, vulgar and indecent. Emphasis on the respect for women became the focal point of the outburst that brought attention to the female sector of the community.
2. It is being dubbed as rip-off of Marvin Gaye’s song.
3. It has another close similarity with Funkadelic song.

In return Robin Thicke sued Marvin Gaye’s family and Bridgeport Music in order to protect his song. He reasons that although it has similarity but it’s not the same song and not in the same genre.

Critics opined that to be accused of stealing one’s music, it has to be so close, the beat and even the lyrics.

Original work must have a copyright by the singer, lyrics and music included or even the title.

In the case of Robin Thicke, he may win the case but at the same time, he will loose his pride and credibility due to the public’s judgment that his number one song is such a duplicate of Marvin Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up”.

The analogy of the situation clouding the popularity of Robin Thicke these days is to be picked from array of comments, taking sides and opposing the legality of him and his song collaborators, Pharrel and T.I.against the family of Marvin Gaye and Bridgeport Music.

Personal banters but sound opinion from supporters and haters were chosen by this hubber to let you know how the popular song and the man-of-the-hour got caught in this icy-cold controversy,

1. awarrior said:

   I suggest you review the copyright laws and pay close attention to the definition of a 'derivative'. It's more to it than just a same groove or beat as you say. I don't know enough about MG's family to call any of them "gold digging heirs" but an estate has every right to protect its property from infringement. This is usually determined by the estate attorney as to the validity and suit worthiness not the family they can only present the matter for legal review. If you really want to take it there, (Robin Thicke very clearly admits on an interview with Hot 97-NY, that he and Pharrell took the concept from the Marvin Gaye song 'Got To Give It Up'). So as much as you and some others would like for it to be his own personal intrinsic artistic creation...it's not. That's why they're suing prior to being sued. LMAO! They knew exactly what they hell they were doing. Gee whiz man! Give me a break! And I guarantee you that same interview will be part of what makes he and Pharrell have to give it up. These are facts, I don't have anything personal against RT but I say again...Blurred Lines was clearly 'derived' from Got To Give It Up. There's absolutely nothing you can say to convince me otherwise.(From Hollywood Reporter: Robin Thicke Sues to Protect 'Blurred Lines' from Marvin Gaye's Family (Exclusive), Posted Aug.15, 2013)

   
   2. PR McCary-Madden said:

   
   

   Fact is, that nowadays the people who are getting rich in the music industry are not artists – they are actors and players. Not long ago, music actors would simply “re-make” real music that they believe was forgotten by the public and passed it off as their own. But, lawsuits started popping up like weeds.

   Then these music actors started stealing lyrics from the past and singing them to new music or stealing music and playing it to new lyrics. And this became common practice in R&B and Rap.

   But, today these music actors cleverly mix up pieces from different arrangements and “freshen up” the lyrics with current slang to the point that the sound (as they said above) “feels” strikingly familiar. This mixing up of the music has but one purpose: to prevent anyone from being able to prove that it’s stolen music.

   This is no different from when they put white faces on black album covers in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Jay-Z, R Kelly and Will.I.am do it all the time.

   Notice that it says, “Gaye defendants are claiming ownership of an entire genre, as opposed to a specific work”? This is being very technical, isn’t it?

   So now, the Gaye family is being sued for alleging that two pieces “feel” or “sound” the same? This is really being proactive. The suit is essentially stating publicly that no one should believe the Gaye family if they claim we stole their music, because they can’t prove it.

   This is just as ridiculous as the writer stating that it’s hard to say the songs sound alike. You’re kidding. But the first sentence is absolutely correct, except Marvin was the one with the hit records and Robin Thicke, T.I. and Pharrell are the ones trying to get over!! (From: blackamericaweb.com)
   

   
   3. Cristina K observed:

   I listened to both songs multiple times. The beat is almost the same, but it is a very basic and is highly used on drum machines. So I give a pass on the drums. I payed close attention to the bass line... and I agree with George Clinton when I give that a pass as well. It is a funky beat that could have been played by George, but wasn't. Lastly, I listened a third time to the vocal melody. Here I found, it was a different melody in almost every way. It harmonized differently with the chord structure. The rhythmic pattern is different and the intervals between the melody notes are different. I really cannot find one basis for plagiarism. Rhythmically, harmonically and melodically it is a different song. Heck, the chord progression doesn't even match (Got to Give it up is a I-II-IV-V based progression and Blurred Lines is a I-III-VI-IVadd9(strong pull to a V)) . Does it sound similar? Yes, but that doesn't mean squat.(From NPR Music -npr.com)

   
   

   
   

   
   

Judging Robin Thicke by the public eye through his hit song "Blurred Lines" will be biased.As they say in the music industry in America, he is a hardworking man when it comes to music.

Thicke was born in Los Angeles, California. His mother is actress-singer Gloria Loring (née Goff), who appeared on U.S. daytime drama Days of Our Lives, and his father is Canadian actor Alan Thicke, who is known for his role on the TV sitcom Growing Pains. They divorced when he was seven.Thicke has an older brother, Brennan, who worked as a voice actor in the mid-1980s. Thicke is a dual citizen, holding Canadian citizenship through his father and United States citizenship through his mother and by birth. Thicke resides in Vancouver, British Columbia.(From Wikipedia)

Robin Thicke is first and foremost a songwriter way back late '90s when he started working and collaborating with other songwriters as he wrote songs with the likes of Brandy, 3T, Christina Aguilera, Jordan Knight, Mya and the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

At the turn of the century, Thicke became a singer, aside from his songwriting and producing singles for other artists. In a span of the new decade, he was able to make six albums, including Blurred Lines.

• A Beautiful World (2003)
• The Evolution of Robin Thicke (2006)
• Something Else (2008)
• Sex Therapy (2009)
• Love After War (2011)
• Blurred Lines (2013)

Talking about his much-talked and much-criticized album:

"The last year I've been wanting to have more fun. I think I took myself very seriously as an artist and I wanted to be like Marvin Gaye, and John Lennon and Bob Marley and these great artists and songwriters that sang about love and sang about relationships," Robin explained. "And then the last year, my wife and I just really wanted to have fun again, we wanted to be young again and we wanted to dance again and go out with our friends, so I wanted to make music that reflected that culture also."

Without his knowing, fresh, young and idealist artists look up upon him as authentic singer-songwriter.

He produced the album of Lil Wayne to give the latter his Best Rap Album. He helped Idol graduate Jennifer Hudson grab her Best R&B Album.

Australian Idol champion Guy Sebastian performed one of Thicke's song and included it in his debut album.

Adding to his sleeves, the public noticed him because of his being a judge of the reality show, Duets on ABC 5 as mentor, singer and judge.

As a family man, he married his childhood sweetheart, actress Paula Patton and bore a son, Julian (now three years old).

I am amazed with the fame that Robin Thicke is getting nowadays.

He's not an overnight sensation, but a seasoned performer who painstakingly inched his way to the elusive success in the music industry in America.

He's like Eminem, who crossed the barrier between the white and black communities in America to promote his music.

If you can just listen to his ealier songs, prior to "Blurred Lines" fame, you can truly know the old Robin Thicke, not the new media-hype persona of this man.

With that achievement, he's truly a troubadour of this generation.

Well, I know that reinventing one's self in the music industry can be like Robin's move, what he did or he's doing in his career right now.

If I'll be given a chance to be like him, I will also venture on the path of "Blurred Lines" fame but I will stick on my genre, without the inspiration of Marvin Gaye's tunes.

Much have been said about "Blurred Lines" and many of us are getting irritated with the way this chart-topping dance tune influences our daily lives once we hear it being played on the radio.

As for me, what strikes me regarding the song is its tune, the funky-groove that inevitably pursued me to listen to it repeatedly in a day, while doing my daily chores.

It inspired me and unknowingly put vigor in my work.

As Robin Thicke opines:

"The album is called Blurred Lines. I've realized as I've gotten older that we all think we're living either in a black or white world, or on a straight path, but most of us are living right in between those straight lines. And everything you thought you knew, the older you get, you realize, 'Damn, I don't know nothing about this. I better pay attention, I better listen and keep learning.' So I think that, that's what I've been realizing these past few years." (Robin Thicke during an interview in Breakfast Club)

vlanjos4807 says (via YouTube upon listening to Robin's song, The Sweetest Love):

Listen closely children. This is the real Robin Thicke. Not Blurred Lines. He was such a respectable man upon so many levels. The black community respected him as he broke the racial bearers of a black dominated genre. He's like the Eminem of R&B/Soul. Even if you don't like him, you still have to respect him for being so successful. But of course after he went onstage grinding with Miley and grabbing that other chicks ass, that all went toppling down. I miss old Robin.

I can honestly say that Robin is having a massive influence when it comes to songwriting. That you can either joke or be serious with your craft amid negative comments and end as victor even with all the disputes he's facing at the moment.