A lawsuit claims that hit TV show "The Big Bang Theory" stole the lyrics to its popular "Soft Kitty" song that the characters have performed multiple times, often to comfort theoretical physicist Sheldon Cooper.
"The Soft Kitty Lyrics are among the best-known and most popular aspects of 'The Big Bang Theory,'" the lawsuit says,
according to The Associated Press.
"They have become a signature and emblematic feature of the show and a central part of the show's promotion."
The daughters and heirs of late New Hampshire teacher Edith Newlin said that she wrote the lyrics to the song in the 1930s, and that they were published in a 1937 book called "Songs for the Nursery School."
The lyrics read: Soft kitty, warm kitty/ Little ball of fur/ Happy kitty, sleepy kitty/ Purr, purr, purr."
Since its publishing, the lawsuit claims, "The Big Bang Theory" has featured the song in its entirety on at least eight episodes since March 2008.
As The New York Times reported, "The lawsuit also says the words have appeared on T-shirts, air fresheners and other merchandise without authorization. CBS even had a 'soft kitty' contest, asking fans to upload videos of themselves singing the song, according to the lawsuit."
The suit explained that Warner Bros. Entertainment and the show's other producers sought permission from Willis Music Co., the Florence, Kentucky-based company that published the songbook. The suit says Willis Music authorized the use of the song without consulting Newlin's heirs, and that the book's acknowledgements page makes it clear Newlin retained the copyright to the lyrics.
One of the daughters said she discovered the songs use in the show in 2014, while researching her mother's life for an article.
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