100 Years Later, Do We REALLY Need Feminism? - Gore and Heartache

It'a my party and I'll cry if I want to... you would cry too if it happened to you!

You know the lyrics, as they've been in your favorite movies and even influenced many of your favorite artists, such as Melanie Martinez. But have you really taken the time to listen to the lyrics of this nearly 5 decade old anthem of self loathing? How did Lesley Gore go from crying over boys to "you don't own me?"  As a main mark in the feminist movement of it's time, it's surprising how little is known about the girl who made it okay to cry if you want to.

Gore and Heartache in 1963

by Kimber Mc of NaturalHealthyCBD.com

The song “It’s My Party” [I Can Cry if I Want to] is about a young girl who’s boyfriend, Johnny, runs off with her friend, Judy, at her birthday party. In one of the versus, the lyrics state:

"Judy and Johnny just walked through the door, like a king with his queen. Oh what a birthday surprise, Judy’s wearing his ring.”

The song was made popular by musician Leslie Gore on her album, “I’ll Cry if I Want To” released in 1963.

What most people don’t know is in the same year, Gore released a sequel to “It’s My Party,” entitled “Judy’s Turn to Cry.”

Judy’s Turn to Cry” is about getting her revenge on the other woman, Judy. In Gore’s lyrics, she finds it “foolish” to let herself cry when she saw Johnny and Judy together, and seems determined to overcome after being hurt by Judy’s “mean smile” when she was knowingly taking Gore’s boyfriend.

However, after seeing them kiss at a different party, Gore kisses another boy. Johnny gets jealous, punching the other boy and returning to Gore, leaving. Judy to run off and cry just like Gore had in “It’s My Party.”

At the end of the song, “Judy’s Turn to Cry” Gore’s revenge is complete with the lyrics:

“One night I saw them kissing at a party, so I kissed some other guy. Johnny jumped up and he hit him cause he still loved me that’s why. 

So now it’s Judy’s turn to cry, 

Judy’s turn to cry,

Judy’s turn to cry. 

Because Johnny’s come back to me.”

That same year, Gore then wrote the song the song, “Maybe I Know” (but it wasn’t released until 1964). 

The lyrics expressed her acknowledging that others were talking behind her back about her boyfriend being unfaithful and she knew they pitied her. The lyrics expressed that she already knew that her boyfriend wasn’t treating her fairly, but didn’t know how to overcome the situation, the chorus being:

“Maybe I know that he’s been cheating. Maybe I know that he’s been untrue. But what can I do?”

This lead up to Leslie Gore’s most popular hit song,”You Don’t Own Me.” It hit the Pop Billboard chart at #2, just under the Beatles’ “I want to hold your hand.”It was Gore’s most successful hit next to “It’s My Party.” Also released in 1963,“You Don’t Own Me” is an example of threatened separation and female emancipation, as Gore tells a lover that he does not own her; that he is not to tell her what to do or what to say; that he is not to put her on display.

The song’s lyrics became an inspiration for younger women and played as a major factor in the rise of the second wave feminist movement.

In the song “You Don’t Own Me,” Gore states;

“You don’t own me. Don’t try to change me in any way. You don’t own me. Don’t tie me down ‘cause I’d never stay.

I don’t tell you what to say!

I don’t tell you what to do!

So just let me be myself that’s all I ask of you!

I’m young and I love to be young! I’m free and I love to be free! To live my life the way I want! To say and do whatever I please!”

Gore’s words resonate with women all over the world to this day. Gore recorded all 4 songs (and others) in 1963. She was 17.

Leslie Gore died at 68 on February 16, 2015. She lived to see the rise of the feminist movement and women’s liberation.

Yet, in Gore’s obituary, The New York Times referred to the song “You Don’t Own Me” as “indelibly defiant,” the seemingly chauvinistic comment followed by a comment about how in 51 years we have made very little progress towards actively erasing sexism and discrimination of women, but that's not true. Gore fought for egalitarianism, which is not the modern day feminist who fights for women and not equality. Lesley Gore would be turning in her grave over the modern day feminist movement.

With the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment coming up and multiple marches that many don't even know why they're marching, let's remember what it was that the first wave of feminist really fought for, and the fact that you have an equal right to speak freely about it. 

Signed, a lady-like woman business owner that makes just as much as the men that work as hard as she does in her industry, and knows how to accept a compliment without writing a #metoo article whom may not agree with you but supports your EQUAL and FREE right to speak about it.