speed of dark

Lesley Gore, then and now
Occasionally I try to remember what I was listening to in the early sixties before the Beatles and the whole British invasion turned my world upside down in 1964.

Folk was still going strong, and country was big: Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Johnny Horton. There was a lot of soul and dance music. Rock was still a toddler on the playground: Roy Orbison, the Ventures, Bobby Rydell, the Everly Brothers, Del Shannon. I'd rather not talk about Elvis, Paul Anka, Ricky Nelson, and Dion. The Beach Boys were probably the best band around.

Women were represented by Anita Bryant, Connie Francis, and Brenda Lee. The black girl groups started hitting the charts in the early sixties: The Shirelles ("Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"), the Angels ("My Boyfriend's Back"), the Ronettes ("Be My Baby"), the Chiffons ("One Fine Day"), the Dixie Cups ("Chapel of Love"). 1962 brought the horribly-titled He Hit Me (and It Felt Like a Kiss)", performed by the Crystals.

There was a lot of wishing and hoping and thinking and praying and following someone wherever they may go in these gooey teen-romance ballads. I was not very impressed.

Into this all this mushy crap came something entirely different--the defiant and ominously-toned "You Don't Own Me," sung by a teenage white girl from New Jersey. "You Don't Own Me" was not Lesley Gore's biggest or her first hit, but it had a social impact that other songs of the day lacked. Betty Friedan's book The Feminine Mystique had been published only a short time before, and the big women's lib anthem, "I Am Woman" by Helen Reddy, was years from release--and so were Bob Dylan's political and social protest songs. "You Don't Own Me" is one of the very first songs in which a woman demands her independence from a man.

Reportedly, Gore made a deal with her producer, Quincy Jones, that she would record a song he wanted her to sing if he would let her record this one, written by John Madara and David White. The song has been covered by many artists over the years including Dusty Springfield, Joan Jett, and The Blow Monkeys on the Dirty Dancing movie soundtrack. Most don't improve on Gore's version.

Here is the original plus a weird cover by Rasputina and a very nice new dance-beat update by Manon's Dream, a band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Lesley Gore: You Don't Own Me from Lesley Gore Sings of Mixed-Up Hearts (1964)
Rasputina: You Don't Own Me from How We Quit the Forest (1998)
Manon's Dream: You Don't Own Me from Time Sensitive Angels (2007)

Lesley Gore Fansite | Official Website at Engine Company Records
Wikipedia | Lyrics

Check this fabulous video of the T.A.M.I. show, circa 1964, featuring feisty Lesley Gore singing "You Don't Own Me." Boy, is that hairstyle familiar. I think every girl in my high school wore her hair that way. Near the end of the video, you can spot Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers, Chuck Berry, Smokey Robinson, and Marvin Gaye.

Lesley Gore continues to write songs and perform live shows. Listen to samples of her latest songs at her official website.

Upcoming shows:
Sept. 1, 2007 - Lock 3 Live Outdoor AmphitheaterR, Akron, OH
Sept. 22, 2007- Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, Rehoboth, DE
Oct. 13, 2007 - Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown, NY
Oct. 19, 2007 - Outpost In the Burbs, Montclair, NJ
Nov. 17, 2007 - Suncoast HOtel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV
Nov. 18, 2007 - Suncoast HOtel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV