News | Entertainment
29 Mar 2024 19:11
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Taylor Swift insists she wrote all the lyrics for 'Shake it Off'

    She made the declaration as she as addressed a 2017 copyright lawsuit that claimed she stole the words of her 2014 hit


    Writing in a federal court document filed on Monday (08.08.22) she denied copyright infringement and claimed she had "never heard" the song she is accused of plagiarising - 2001's 'Playas Gon' Play' by the US pop trio 3LW.

    Extracts of the motion obtained by Billboard said Taylor, 32, unequivocally rejected the accusation, writing "the lyrics to 'Shake It Off' were written entirely by me".

    She also provided context around how the words came to be included in the song.

    Taylor insisted it was impossible she plagiarised the 3LW track as she "had never heard the song 'Playas Gon' Play' and had never heard of that song or the group 3LW".

    She added: "The first time I ever heard the song was after this claim was made."

    Taylor added: "In writing the lyrics, I drew partly on experiences in my life and, in particular, unrelenting public scrutiny of my personal life, 'clickbait' reporting, public manipulation, and other forms of negative personal criticism which I learned I just needed to shake off and focus on my music."

    She argued the phrases "players gonna play" and "haters gonna hate" were widespread and used throughout her childhood - "akin to... sayings like 'don't hate the playa, hate the game,'" and "'take a chill pill'".

    Taylor went on: "I recall hearing phrases about players play and haters hate stated together by other children while attending school in Wyomissing Hills, and in high school in Hendersonvilled."

    She highlighted how there have been numerous uses of the phrase in "many songs, films, and other works," and referenced a 2013 performance in which she wore a T-shirt with the term "haters gonna hate."

    The lawsuit, filed by 'Playas Gon' Play' songwriters Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, was dropped in 2018, but was later resurrected by an appeals panel the following year.

    In December 2021 a judge ruled the case should be decided by a jury, although an official court trial date has not yet been set.

    Taylor's lawyers are backing her claims by arguing no single entity can monopolise a term widely used in popular culture.

    Her attorney Peter Anderson said: "It is, unfortunately, not unusual for a hit song to be met by litigants hoping for a windfall based on tenuous claims that their own song was copied... but even against that background,

    (the) Plaintiffs' claim sticks out as particularly baseless."

    'Shake It Off' was the lead single from Swift's fifth studio album, '1989'. 3LW, meanwhile, released 'Playas Gon' Play' in 2001 as part of the girl band's eponymous debut album.

    It comes as Taylor has also defended her use of a jet after she last month topped a celebrity league table of the biggest private plane polluters.

    © 2024 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     29 Mar: Queen Camilla hosted authors and actors at a star-studded event in London to celebrate reading
     29 Mar: Simon Cowell has adopted another puppy just months after he brought home a new German Shepherd called Pebbles
     29 Mar: Tracee Ellis Ross has paid a glowing birthday tribute to Diana Ross
     29 Mar: YouTube star Ninja has been diagnosed with cancer at the age of 32
     29 Mar: Pierce Brosnan has given his seal of approval to Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the next James Bond
     29 Mar: Katie Price has warned young women to avoid filler and Botox and urged them to think twice about cosmetic surgery
     29 Mar: Anne Hathaway created a "protective layer" between herself and her 'Mother's Instinct' character
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    The Chiefs are backing young first-five Josh Jacomb to step up in tonight's Super Rugby clash against the Crusaders in Christchurch More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    New Zealand Food Safety is supporting Matakana Smokehouse in its recall of a specific batch of two of its salmon products because of the possible presence of Listeria More...



     Today's News

    Rugby League:
    NRL Good Friday: Bulldogs take on desperate Rabbitohs, Broncos renew rivalry with Cowboys 19:07

    Rugby:
    The Chiefs are backing young first-five Josh Jacomb to step up in tonight's Super Rugby clash against the Crusaders in Christchurch 18:57

    Entertainment:
    Queen Camilla hosted authors and actors at a star-studded event in London to celebrate reading 18:53

    Law and Order:
    A man's due in court tomorrow facing a murder charge, after a body was found in a burnt-out car in Longlands, Hastings 18:47

    Business:
    New Zealand Food Safety is supporting Matakana Smokehouse in its recall of a specific batch of two of its salmon products because of the possible presence of Listeria 18:37

    Entertainment:
    Simon Cowell has adopted another puppy just months after he brought home a new German Shepherd called Pebbles 18:23

    Entertainment:
    Tracee Ellis Ross has paid a glowing birthday tribute to Diana Ross 17:53

    Cricket:
    Cricket's best female all-rounder has led England to a 4-1 T20 series win over New Zealand 17:27

    Entertainment:
    YouTube star Ninja has been diagnosed with cancer at the age of 32 17:23

    Rugby League:
    The South Sydney rugby league team is ready to lift itself off the canvas and floor the Canterbury Bulldogs in their Good Friday NRL contest 17:17


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2024 New Zealand City Ltd