Lesley Gore (1 Viewer)

[jazzeum]

The great Lesley Gore passed away this week at the age of 68 of cancer, rest in peace. Her signature hits or the ones she was well known for are "It's My Party," "Judy's Turn to Cry" (a follow up to It's My Party) and "You Don't Own Me."

As the NY Times obituary points out You Don't Own Me became an anthem for feminism, "“When I heard it for the first time, I thought it had an important humanist quality,” Ms. Gore told The Minneapolis Star-Tribune in 2010. “As I got older, feminism became more a part of my life and more a part of our whole awareness, and I could see why people would use it as a feminist anthem. I don’t care what age you are — whether you’re 16 or 116 — there’s nothing more wonderful than standing on the stage and shaking your finger and singing, ‘Don’t tell me what to do.’ ”

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/17/arts/music/lesley-gore-teenage-voice-of-heartbreak-dies-at-68.html

Marc Meyers of Jazz Wax had an appreciation of Lesley in his Jazz Wax column yesterday, "Why Lesley Gore Mattered."

http://www.jazzwax.com/2015/02/why-...um=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+Jazzwax+(JazzWax)

He points out that Lesley was not the first one to record It's My Party; Helen Shapiro beat her to it but her record company held off issuing it and Lesley's was the first version out there. It also has much more of an up tempo to it than Helen Shapiro's.

Although not a huge fan of all her songs, I always felt a connection because, like me, she was a Jewish kid growing up in the NY area.

Here's It's My Party

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaR_jfoYL1Q

 

[jazzeum]

Here's Lesley doing It's My Party at a 1989 concert in Melbourne. Great version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6KhXo13_H0

Here's Judy's Turn to Cry from the same concert.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5qOFur8gXs

 

[GICOP]

Very sad news Brad.

"It's My Party" is on my jukebox, played it a couple of times this mornng

RIP Lesley

 

[jazzeum]

It is sad Martyn, particularly as she was only 68.

I was actually surprised at how much it affected me, possibly because she wasn't that much older than most of us who knew her songs; a reminder of our mortality, perhaps.

Brad

 

[lancer]

My wife is a big fan and is always playing her music and others from that era. I tell her she is caught in the 'way back machine', but then I remember I like Dino and Frank. RIP. -- Al

 

[jazzeum]

This being a Friday, I was watching some of her stuff on You Tube and here is an interesting interview with her from some years ago that your wife might like Al.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3bn8kHMnxk

 

[lancer]

This being a Friday, I was watching some of her stuff on You Tube and here is an interesting interview with her from some years ago that your wife might like Al.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3bn8kHMnxk

Many thanks, Brad. Very kind of you. I'll show it to her when she gets home. -- Al

 

[gk5717]

Listening to those songs put me right back in my high school years listening in bed with my earphones to my transister radio.
She was 68, so she led a full life, whoa wait a minute I,m 68 and I,m not ready to call it a full life!
Gary

 

[wayne556517]

Sad news my sister use to flog this song to death i know it so well.

 

[jazzeum]

I saw an article tonight where the daughter of the person who wrote the song who is named Judy (like the person in the song) was having a sweet 16 birthday party and when told her that grandparents were coming to the party, got very upset. Her father said don't cry and Judy retorted " it's my party and I can cry if I want to."

As they say, the rest is history; the family is still collecting royalty checks.

It's funny the things you find out about a person after they die, which you didn't (or take the time to) know before they passed away.

 

[lancer]

This being a Friday, I was watching some of her stuff on You Tube and here is an interesting interview with her from some years ago that your wife might like Al.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3bn8kHMnxk

Brad, my wife very much enjoyed this interview. It brought up a host of memories regarding the 60's music scene with Gore, Lulu, Dusty Springfield, and Petula Clark. She grew up on this music and appreciates you posting this for her. I found the story about how her first record was double sold to her and Phil Specter very interesting. Had never heard that before. Thanks. -- Al

 

[jazzeum]

Al,

Glad to help. Have her check out the Jazz Wax piece. It's pretty good, especially the interview with Phil Ramone and how she wasn't the first to record Its My Party, but the first one to get it to market.

Brad