By Andre Torrez
I"ve always known of her music, but a few months ago and admittedly after watching John Water’s Hairspray for the first time in its entirety, I became eerily obsessed with Lesley Gore's song "You Don't Own Me." That song is great. Almost immediately I bought one of her compilation CDs, shamelessly playing the track on repeat.
I guess there were hints of pessimism in some of those early '60s hits although they maintained their poppy playfulness (i.e., “Judy’s Turn to Cry” and “It’s My Party”). It's hard to believe Gore recorded them at the tender age of 16. Oddly enough, Quincy Jones of Thriller fame was responsible for many of her early gems - which could explain their broad appeal production-wise.
But this song, a far cry from “Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows,” had a much darker tone. It's almost sinister. Gore really belts it out here, convincing listeners of her sincerity and ambivalence toward what it means to be someone’s girlfriend during adolescence. The lyrical content transcends teeny-bopper kitch, suggesting it was a feminist anthem ahead of its time and definitely before such rants were socially acceptable - at least by 1964 standards.
Even Joan Jett recognized the song's power, eventually giving it her own treatment. Gore’s proclamation nears anguish as she deals with female subservience to men, objectification, and the notion of women as property. She protests against being viewed as merely an object of an immature man’s pleasure, something he will eventually outgrow. “I’m not just one of your many toys,” she sings.
The song can be adapted by anyone who identifies with the need to live their life freely - it's a theme that may very well have played out later in Gore's adult life since she didn't realize her own sexuality until after college. You can catch the performer and composer now that she's all grown up at Yoshi's SF on Friday, Feb. 13.
LESLEY GORE
Feb. 13, 8 and 10 p.m., $35
Yoshi's SF
1330 Fillmore, SF
(415) 655-5600
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