Not only is Robin Thicke’s lawyer appealing the verdict, which says Robin and Pharrell must pay the Gaye family over $7 million, the Gayes are still side-eyeing Pharrell.
Marvin Gaye’s family (Gaye’s son Marvin Gaye III, daughter, Nona, and ex-wife, Janis) spoke with Entertainment Tonight about the verdict. During the interview, they mentioned they agree with people who say Pharrell’s biggest hit “Happy” resembles the late singer’s 1966 song “Ain’t That Peculiar.” “I’m not going to lie. I do think they sound alike,” claimed Nona admitted.
But they don’t plan on coming after Pharrell with another lawsuit; they just want to bask in their legal win. “We’re just in the moment today and we’re satisfied,” Janis said. Or maybe is it because it wasn’t Marvin Gaye who wrote “Ain’t That Peculiar,” but rather Smokey Robinson is responsible for the #1 Motown single?
Take a listen to the two songs together below. With all due respect, I think they sound alike but that’s because Pharrell’s “Happy” intentionally harkens back the Motown sound (the same era during which Marvin gained prominence), and the music that came out of Motown all have a distinct, similar sound.