GoldieBlox retreats from fight over Beastie Boys song
Toy maker GoldieBlox has removed its rewritten version of the Beastie Boys song “Girls” from a viral video promoting girls’ capabilities.
GoldieBlox had filed a declaratory judgment suit that claimed its use of the song was a parody that constituted fair use. But the company removed the Beastie Boys song from the video last week and said it would withdraw the lawsuit if the band stipulates there is no continuing legal threat, according to the Hollywood Reporter and the Los Angeles Times.
“Since actions speak louder than words, we have already removed the song from our video,” GoldieBlox said in a letter on its blog. “In addition, we are ready to stop the lawsuit as long as this means we will no longer be under threat from your legal team.”
The GoldieBlox blog says the company was “unaware that the late, great Adam Yauch had requested in his will that the Beastie Boys songs never be used in advertising.”
The suit had listed the Beastie Boy lyrics next to the altered lyrics. Part of the Beastie Boys lyrics: “Girls, to do the dishes/Girls, to clean up my room/Girls, to do the laundry/Girls, and in the bathroom/Girls, that’s all I really want is girls.” Part of the GoldieBlox lyrics: “Girls to build the spaceship/Girls to code the new app/Girls to grow up knowing/That they can engineer that.”
