Ariana Grande and her label are being sued for copyright infringement over her Mac Miller-assisted smash hit 'The Way.'

The lawsuit has been levied by Minder Music, a U.K. organization that owns the rights to songs written and recorded by he Jimmy Castor Bunch.

Right, but what does that have to do with 'The Way?' Well, we'll tell you.

The Jimmy Castor Bunch, an American disco and funk group, had a hit back in 1972 -- that's 21 years before Grande was even born -- called 'Troglodyte.' The tune boasts the spoken phrase: "What we’re gonna do right here is go back, way back, back into time."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Minder says that seemingly common phrase is actually iconic and it cannot be used by an artist without a properly secured license. The suit claims 'The Way' boasts the "substantially similar" phrase: "What we gotta do right here is go back, back into time."

The suit claims that 'The Way' uses nearly identical lyrics and similar enunciation. Hence, the lawsuit has been dropped on Grande's doorstep.

The company is looking for a declaration of willful infringement, a permanent injunction, statutory damages of $150,000 per infringement and further attorneys' fees. In essence, it's a big deal for Minder. Grande's camp has yet to respond.

It seems to us, on the surface, that those phrases are super common. But we're not legal eagles. This will have to play out with the lawyers.

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