I definitely think the bass and rhythm track was copped from the Marvin Gaye song, but I don't know how to feel about the outcome of the case.

When a background lick can become a copyrighted item, it can open up some doors that many songwriters don't want opened.

For example, if you wrote a song and played a ninth chord arpeggio in a syncopated rhythm, does it infringe on James Brown's "I Got You"?

Or a Traverse Picking arpeggio like the opening of the Kansas song "Dust In The Wind" - is it a steal?

Since I've never written anything that has a chance of making a million dollars, I suppose it doesn't apply to me wink -- but still -- I think in the long run it can have a negative effect on the pop music business.

I do own a number of copyrights myself, but like I said, I have mixed feelings about the outcome.

What do you think?

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