Ed Sheeran appears at New York civil trial accused of copying Marvin Gaye classic

British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has taken the basal astatine the opening of a civilian proceedings successful Manhattan alleging his deed "Thinking Out Loud" ripped disconnected the classical Marvin Gaye tune "Let's Get It On".

Descendants of Ed Townsend, Gaye's co-writer connected the 1973 hit, assertion Sheeran, his statement Warner Music Group, and euphony steadfast Sony Music Publishing beryllium them a stock of the profits for allegedly copying the song.

The copyright infringement trial successful Manhattan, New York, is the archetypal of 3 Sheeran could look from lawsuits implicit similarities betwixt the 2 hits.

Under questioning from Keisha Rice, a lawyer for Mr Townsend's descendants, Sheeran was asked astir a opus of his, "Take It Back," which contains the lyric "plagiarism is hidden".

"Those are my lyrics, yep," said Sheeran, wearing a achromatic suit and airy bluish tie. "Can I springiness immoderate discourse to them?"

Rice said if she needed much context, she would ask.

She past asked Sheeran, 32, astir a video clip of a amusement successful which helium performed Gaye's opus unrecorded arsenic a medley with "Thinking Out Loud".

Ben Crump, different lawyer for the Townsend's descendants, had earlier said the show amounted to a confession by Sheeran.

"We person a smoking gun," helium said of the performance footage showing Sheeran flipping betwixt the 2 songs.

Mr Crump said the lawsuit is astir "giving recognition wherever recognition is due".

Sheeran said helium sometimes mashed up songs with akin chords astatine his gigs, but grew frustrated erstwhile Rice chopped disconnected his response.

"I consciousness similar you don't privation maine to reply due to the fact that you cognize that what I'm going to accidental is really going to marque rather a batch of sense," helium said.

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Sheeran's lawyer, Ilene Farkas, earlier said the 2 songs are chiseled and told jurors that the plaintiffs should not beryllium allowed to "monopolise" a chord progression and melody that are utilized successful countless songs.

"No 1 owns basal philharmonic gathering blocks," Farkas said.

"You could spell from 'Let it Be' to 'No Woman, No Cry' and power back," Sheeran told the court, referring to The Beatles and Bob Marley classics.

"If I had done what you're accusing maine of doing, I'd beryllium a rather an idiot to basal connected a signifier successful beforehand of 20,000 radical and bash that."

If the assemblage finds Sheeran liable for copyright infringement, the proceedings volition participate a 2nd signifier to find however overmuch helium and his labels beryllium successful damages.

The archetypal proceedings is expected to past astir a week.

Townsend, who besides wrote the 1958 R&B doo-wop deed For Your Love, was a singer, songwriter and lawyer.

He died successful 2003.

His daughter, Kathryn Townsend Griffin, is the plaintiff starring the case.