Mattel loses appeal over 'Barbie Girl' hit

The US Supreme Court dismissed an appeal yesterday by the toymaker Mattel over a pop song that parodied the iconic fashion doll Barbie.

Mattel claimed the pre-teen girls who bought Barbie dolls were duped into thinking the 1997 dance hit "Barbie Girl", which referred to the doll as a "blonde bimbo", was an advertisement for the doll or part of Mattel's official line of products.

But the court turned down Mattel's request to reopen the legal battle over the song. The judges refused to comment on their decision to uphold an earlier ruling that the song was a social commentary and protected by the first amendment.

MCA Records sold about 1.4 million copies of the song by Aqua, a Danish group.