Barbie Song Is Off-Key To Doll Makers

Barbie, the leggy doll with the long hair, was caught in the middle of a legal dispute on Monday over a pop song that her makers say is unauthorized and portrays her as a sex object.

Lawyers for Mattel Inc. which manufactures the hugely successful doll, were locked in talks with MCA Records, which released Barbie Girl by the Danish group Aqua.

A spokesman said the lawyers were trying to resolve a trademark dispute over the song that Mattel, which portrays Barbie as the doll thats like the all-American girl, believes is also sexist.

Some of the lyrics to the hit have Barbie singing: Make me walk, make me talk, Do whatever you please. I can act like a star, I can beg on my knee.

 

On Monday a spokesman for Mattel in suburban Los Angeles said: We think this is a trademark violation and we intend to pursue it as such. A spokeswoman for MCA, a unit of Seagram, confirmed the companys lawyers were talking to Mattels, but said there were no plans to pull the disk from stores.

She insisted the song was not a parody, but social commentary.