Ed Sheeran Sings in Court As He Takes Witness Stand

Ed Sheeran took to stand this week, testifying as a witness in his own defence against allegations over whether he copied Marvin Gaye’s classic “Let’s Get It On.”

The “Thinking Out Loud” singer played the chord progression to his song Thinking Out Loud and sang on the witness stand. The proceedings took place in Manhattan Federal court on Thursday.

Ed Sheeran went on to share his process in writing the song about everlasting love in 2014, shortly after her began a new romantic relationship and after the passing of his grandfather.

The songwriter and singer shared that the song was inspired by the love he saw between his grandparents. “I draw inspiration from a lot from things in my life and family,” said Ed Sheeran.

“Lets Get It On” co-writer, Eric Townsend and Heirs of Gaye’s collaborator sued Ed Sheran in 2017 seeking a share of profit, alleging his, Thinking Out Loud and their 1973 song Let’s Get It On have similarities in chord progressions.

The trial has been delayed several times since 2017.

According to The Gaudian, Thursday Sheraan testified for almost an hour, explaining how his friend and collaborator Amy Wadge started playing chords for the song during a visit to his home in England, and how they have collaborated on the lyrics.

While on the stand he sang the phrase “I’m singing out now”  saying the phrase sounded like, “I’m thinking out loud”, which became the title of the song.

“When I write vocal melodies, it’s like phonetics,” Sheeran said.

He went on to play the chord progression to the song and started singing the opening words “When your legs don’t work like they used to.”

Thinking Out Loud went to No 1 in the UK and No 2 in the US, and won a Grammy award for Song of the Year in 2016.

When the Gaye and Townsend lawyers said Sheeran ripped off the song, he went on to say, “Most pop songs can fit over most pop songs … if I had done what you’re accusing me of doing, I’d be a quite an idiot to stand on a stage in front of 20,000 people and do that.”

Main Image: Ed Sheeran| Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images/AFP

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