Video footage of Pharrell Williams being deposed over a suit launched by Marvin Gaye’s family shows the singer being repeatedly asked to read music.
Williams and Robin Thicke were sued for copyright infringement over their 2013 hit single "Blurred Lines" in a $7.4 million lawsuit.
Gaye’s children argued the singers had copied their father's 1977 hit “Got to Give It Up” for their controversial song, and a jury agreed. As the case heads to an appeal court, the Hollywood Reporter has obtained previously unseen footage showing Williams being questioned by Richard Busch, a lawyer for the Gaye family, during a tense exchange in April 2014.
“What chords do they use exactly in Blue Grass?," Busch asks Williams at one point during the deposition. “I'm not a teacher, I told you what I do," Williams responds. “You should check it out.”
Busch then asks Williams what the chords are in a ”12-bar blues”. Williams, who by this point is sat resting his head in his hands, replies: “I'm not here to teach you music.”
When Busch repeatedly pushes Williams to answer the question, he responds: “I’m not here to teach you music. I’m not a teacher.”
“Is the answer that you don’t know?” asks Busch. Williams eventually replies: “I don’t know”.
Busch continues to question whether he can read and write musical notation. When Busch asked Williams to read two notes off a page, Williams tersely replies: “I’m not comfortable with this. I know 'Every Good Boy Does Fine' and ‘FACE' ... I can't answer you at this time.”
Watch the full exchange below.
The Independent has contacted representatives for Williams for comment.
