The daughters of a late New Hampshire poet filed a lawsuit against CBS in Manhattan court, claiming the producers of the network's hit TV series "The Big Bang Theory" stole the lyrics to its popular song "Soft Kitty," the Associated Press reported. The suit alleged that the show is violating the copyright of poet and nursery school teacher Edith Newlin's poem, titled "Warm Kitty."
Newlin's daughters Ellen Newlin Chase and Margaret Chase Perry are seeking unspecified damages from the network, claiming that the producers lifted the lyrics from Newlin's song in its entirety for "Soft Kitty," which was featured in eight episodes of the series. They also claim that the song is an integral part of the show's merchandising, as T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs and singing plush toys also feature the lyrics to the song.
"The Soft Kitty Lyrics are among the best-known and most popular aspects of 'The Big Bang Theory,'" the lawsuit claimed, as reported by the Associated Press. "They have become a signature and emblematic feature of the show and a central part of the show's promotion."
The song was first sung to actor Jim Parsons' character Sheldon Cooper as a lullaby in a 2008 episode, according to the New York Times. The lawsuit claimed that Bill Prady of Chuck Lorre Productions has been credited on the show as the song's writer.
Newlin wrote the song "Warm Kitty" in 1937 and it was published in a book titled "Songs for the Nursery School" by Willis Music Co., Deadline Hollywood reported. The lyrics to Newlin's song are "Warm kitty, soft kitty, little ball of fur; Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr! purr! purr!" and the lyrics to "The Big Bang Theory" version of the tune are "Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur; Sleepy kitty, happy kitty, purr! purr! purr!"
