Ed Sheeran sang and played guitar to a New York jury at a civil trial that will decide whether he copied Marvin Gaye’s ‘Let’s Get it On’.
For roughly an hour, Sheeran described his entire musical career and performed parts of the song in question, ‘Thinking Out Loud’.
Heirs of Gaye’s co-writer are claiming that he stole elements of the chart-topping hit.
But in court, Sheeran cradled a guitar as he described his artistic process.
“I draw inspiration a lot from things in my life and family,” said Sheeran, denying that he had been influenced by Gaye’s legendary 1973 R&B hit.
He told the jury how his 2014 song was written at his home in England with friend and collaborator Amy Wadge.
He said the process began during a brainstorming session, with him saying the phrase “I’m singing out now”, which was ultimately changed to become the title of the song.
“When I write vocal melodies, it’s like phonetics,” Sheeran said.
He then picked up an acoustic guitar from behind the witness stand and played the chord progression for the song before singing the opening words.
The musician also said the song had been inspired by his grandparents’ love for each other, his grandfather’s recent death and a new romantic relationship he had just begun.
Sheeran’s testimony came after a musicologist called by the plaintiffs on Wednesday testified that the two songs share similarities.
According to the Associated Press, Sheeran began his testimony by bumping his hand against the witness stand microphone before uttering a quick “sorry”.
He also reportedly told the packed courtroom: “I’m not the world’s most talented guitar player.”
He then picked up an acoustic guitar from behind the witness stand and played the chord progression for the song before singing the opening words.
The musician also said the song had been inspired by his grandparents’ love for each other, his grandfather’s recent death and a new romantic relationship he had just begun.
Sheeran’s testimony came after a musicologist called by the plaintiffs on Wednesday testified that the two songs share similarities.
According to the Associated Press, Sheeran began his testimony by bumping his hand against the witness stand microphone before uttering a quick “sorry”.
He also reportedly told the packed courtroom: “I’m not the world’s most talented guitar player.”
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