R.I.P. LESLEY GORE

from the blog archives...

CAFFE` LATTE` 
TOP 1200 CHOICE TRACKS

#671 YOU DON'T OWN ME Lesley Gore
New Yorker Lesley Gore was born in 1947. She was fortunate enough to work with Quincy Jones on her first recordings, which included the worldwide hit single "It's My Party" in 1963. By year's end, Gore had placed 4 singles in the American Top 10; "You Don't Own Me" being her last. It was written by John Madara and Dave White. Jones produced this late 1963 hit too, which appeared on her 2nd LP, 'Sings of Mixed-Up Hearts'. 
"You Don't Own Me" was a radical song for its time: a song about empowerment for girls and women overall. The protagonist demands her independence, freedom and choices. She won't be told what to say or do by her boyfriend. This attitude was in defiance of conduct expected from young females at that time.
Gore went on to star in films and TV. Her brother, Michael Gore, is a successful songwriter. Together, they collaborated on penning "Out Here On My Own" for Irene Cara on the soundtrack for the original film version of 'Fame' in the 1980s.
Jones scored his first major pop success as a producer on Gore's early hits. He of course, has gone on to work with Frank Sinatra, Diana Ross, Paul Simon and -most famously- Michael Jackson. Jones has recorded albums in his own right, 'The Dude' being one of them. There are 2 songs from that LP included among the Top 1200. 
Gore died February 16, 2015, aged 68. The cause of death was lung cancer. She came out of the closet this century and had been in a relationship with partner Lois Sasson for 33 years.