Los Angeles, Apr 24 (IANS): The 'Shape of You' hitmaker Ed Sheeran is expected to take to the stand in a case which claims his 'Thinking Out Loud' tune violates a copyright.

The hit 2014 tune rocketed to number one in the UK charts - but there are claims it violates the copyright of the Marvin Gaye classic 'Let's Get It On', reports 'Mirror.co.uk'.

The opening statements and jury selection is now to begin in a case in which the heirs of Ed Townsend, Gaye's co-writer on the 1973 soul classic, claim Ed's song has "striking similarities" to the soul classic. The case was initially filed in 2017 and is now expected to last a week as the fight takes place in the Manhattan federal courtroom.

As per 'Mirror.co.uk', 'Let's Get It On' has been a sensation since its release 50 years ago, garnering hundreds of millions of streams, spins and radio plays over the decades. Ed's tune won a Grammy for song of the year, and is a much more marital take on love and sex than that in question.

Both of the tunes are expected to be played to the jury on numerous occasions but it's thought the lyrics will be legally insignificant.