A country singer from California has dared to take credit for the oft-criticized theme song of “Sunday Night Football,” charging that Carrie Underwood unlawfully intercepted her lyrics.
Heidi Merrill, who lives in Newport Beach, says she recorded a song called “Game On” in 2016. She sought to go pro with a football-themed song after the modest success of her earlier tune, “Cornhusker Strong,” about the University of Nebraska’s team, the Manhattan Federal Court suit filed Wednesday says.
“Get up, get loud/Make your mamma proud/Game on!” Merrill sings in the rousing tune.
“When the chips are down/Pump up the sound/Cause we all know this song/This is sacred ground/We don’t mess around.”
At the start of the 2018 NFL season Underwood unveiled her new theme song for “Sunday Night Football,” also titled “Game On.”
Merrill alleges that Underwood’s producer, Mark Bright, swiped the song after the two crossed paths at a Nashville conference in August 2017. Merrill had crossed paths with Bright and pitched her song, which thought would be a good fit for Underwood if the NBC tune was revised, the suit says. Merrill then followed up by sending an email of “Game On.”
Underwood’s team allegedly told her “we’re going to have to pass.” But Merrill says in reality the hit country singer used her song for gridiron inspiration.
The suit says Underwood’s tune is “strikingly” similar to Merrill’s in ” tempo, meter, time signature, rhythmic contours and patterns, melodic contours and patterns, hooks…and chord progression.”
“Game on!/Hey it’s Sunday night/Game on!/Hey turn up the light/America’s game on NBC/The only place to be,” Underwood hollers.
Merrill seeks damages to be determined at trial for copyright infringement. A spokesman for NBC Sports did not respond to an inquiry. An Underwood rep also did not return a message.
The Underwood version of the song was sacked by critics from the moment it debuted. Football fans said it was inferior to Faith Hill’s “Waiting All Day For Sunday Night” theme song from previous NFL seasons. That stirring rendition memorably proclaimed “Al and Cris are the best on TV,” praising the game’s announcers, Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth.
Underwood herself responded to the criticism.
“Hey, I know my music isn’t for everyone, but I love what I do and I love being a part of (Sunday Night Football)! I am one lucky lady! I also love women who build other women up … just saying,” she snapped at one critic.
