Taylor Swift Sued Over 'Shake It Off' Lyrics

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is being sued for $42m for allegedly stealing the lyrics to her hit 2014 song Shake It Off.

R&B singer Jesse Braham has claimed in legal papers Swift stole the words from a song he wrote in 2013 called Haters Gone Hate.

As well as the monetary compensation, Mr Braham also wants his name added as a writer on the track, according to the BBC.

Representatives for Swift have yet to officially comment on the legal case.

Braham - who goes by the stage name Jesse Graham - claims he has copyright ownership of the phrases "haters gone hate" and "playas gone play", which appear in the chorus of Swift's song.

In Braham's song, the chorus comprises: "Haters gone hater, playas gone play/ Watch out for them fakers, they'll fake you everyday."

The chorus of Shake It Off features lyrics including: "Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play/ And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate." She sings another line: "And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake."

Apart from the lyrical similarity, the songs bear no resemblance musically.