Oh dear, it looks like Sheldon will have to find another way to fall asleep, for the producers of CBS’ number one programme The Big Bang Theory are being sued over the lyrics to Soft Kitty. Apparently, the lullaby was taken from a poem by late teacher Edith Newlin; which was originally published in the book Songs for the Nursery School (1937) and the producers reportedly didn’t get official authorisation to include the song.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Newlin’s daughters Ellen Newlin Chase and Margaret Chase Perry have filed a “copyright infringement action” against CBS and the show’s producers. The lawsuit claims that way back in 2007, the producers contacted Willis Music (a Kentucky-based company), who had published the original book where the lyrics appeared and gave them permission to use it. However, the claim reads that Willis Music didn’t consult Mrs Newlin’s heirs with regards to the song, despite the book’s copyright being renewed in 1964. Could this be the end of Soft Kitty? See Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Penny (Kaley Cuoco) perform the song below:
#Peace.Love.TheBigBangTheory
