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With Ed Sheeran on the witness stand in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday during a copyright trial, jurors were warned to remain calm as they watched a video of the British pop star performing a medley of his hit songs. Think Out Loud and Marvin Gaye classics Let’s Get On.
“We don’t allow dancing,” U.S. District Judge Louis Stanton told the seven-member jury.
A lawyer for the heirs of songwriter Ed Townsend, the author of Gaye’s 1973 hit, showed the video to support the allegation that Sheeran, his label Warner Music Group and music publisher Sony Music Publishing owed him money for allegedly copying the song. .
Ben Crump, a lawyer for the heirs, said in an open statement that the performance amounted to “recognition” by Sheeran.
In the question of Keisha Rice, another lawyer for the plaintiff, Sheeran said that many pop songs use the same three or four chords, and he performs “mash” many songs in his concerts.
“You can go from there Let it be for No Woman, No crying and back again,” Sheeran testified, referring to the Beatles and Bob Marley classics. “If I had done what you accused me of, I would be a fool to stand on stage in front of 20,000 people and do it. that.”
The trial is the first of three Sheerans could face from lawsuits over similarities between the two hits.
Common progress chords, the defense said
In an opening statement, Sheeran’s lawyer, Ilene Farkas, argued that the two songs were different, and told jurors that the plaintiffs should not be allowed to “monopoly” the chord progressions used in countless songs.
Sheeran at one point became frustrated when Rice interrupted his response to the medley.
“I think you don’t want me to answer because you know that what I’m about to say will make a lot of sense,” he said.
Sheeran is expected to testify again in court as part of the defense case.
If the jury finds Sheeran liable for copyright infringement, the trial will enter a second phase to determine whether he and the label are owed damages.
The first trial is expected to last about a week.
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