Lesley Gore Songs Ranked
Lesley Sue Goldstein (May 2, 1946 – February 16, 2015), known professionally as Lesley Gore, was an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. At the age of 16, she recorded the pop hit “It’s My Party”, a US number one in 1963. She followed it up with ten further Billboard top 40 hits including “Judy’s Turn to Cry” and “You Don’t Own Me”. Gore later worked as an actress and television personality. She composed songs with her brother Michael Gore for the 1980 film Fame, for which he won an Academy Award. She hosted several editions of the LGBT-oriented public television show, In the Life, on American TV in the 2000s. Gore was born Lesley Sue Goldstein in Brooklyn, New York City, into a middle-class Jewish family. The daughter of Leo Goldstein and Ronny Gore, her father was the owner of Peter Pan, a children’s swimwear and underwear manufacturer, and later became a leading brand licensing agent in the apparel industry. She was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey, and attended the Dwight School for Girls in nearby Englewood. She also attended Sarah Lawrence College. Here are all of Lesley Gore songs ranked.
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10. Young Love (All About Love, 1965)
“he song was written by Pee Wee King, Redd Stewart, and Bonnie Lou. The song was recorded on October 29, 1957, at Capitol Studios, Nashville. The song was released as the B-Side to her single of the same name, “Young Love.”
9. Look Of Love (Girl Talk, 1964)
“Another quality Brill Building song from the talented pens of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich which made the U.S. top 30 in early 1965. Quincy Jones provides the sub-Spector production with prominent bouncy drums, handclaps and bells, not forgetting Gore’s own sweetly sung double-tracked vocal over her sad tale of passed-over love, although the sunny production leaves little doubt that she’ll get over it.”
8. Maybe I Know (Girl Talk, 1964)
“Another Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich composition – produced by Quincy Jones – “Maybe I Know” is a surprisingly complex piece of songwriting for a mid-sixties pop hit. Its minor key pronunciations are embellished by the song’s wall of backing harmonies, and counterbalanced by its relatively-jaunty tempo. These competing musical impulses reflect Gore’s stern commitment to a relationship that she knows she’s being mistreated in, and it doesn’t take a gigantic leap of the imagination to find an even more sinister message hidden between the lines.”
See more: Lesley Gore Albums Ranked
7. California Nights (California Nights, 1967)
“Heard this song and felt like I was hit with a ton of bricks. So much so that my guts really hurt from the memories this song brought back. Those warm summer nights.,. hanging out with friends, just talking and listening to this song..”
6. Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows (Lesley Gore Sings Of Mixed-Up Hearts, 1963)
“I’m not certain if I love this tune simply for itself or because it was used in a very good episode of The Simpons. Either or, or maybe a combination of both, this song is incredibly enjoyable. Although sad songs compliment a bad day, its almost impossible for this happy melody not to turn that frown upside down.”
5. That’s Where The Boys Are (Boys, Boys, Boys, 1964)
“This song is over 50 years old, and it sounds just as wonderful today! Lesley had a really sexy, and emotional, awesome voice. She sang this song, and many of her others, with such emotion and it just can not be, ever, duplicated! I am a guy, and if a girl sang this about me, my heart would melt!”
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4. She’s A Fool (Lesley Gore Sings Of Mixed-Up Hearts, 1963)
“It was another song of teen angst and love gone awry. This mid-tempo tune contained one of Gore’s better vocal performances. She would issue all 17 of her chart hits during the 1960s, 1963-1967. This was one of her best.
3. Judy’s Turn To Cry (I’ll Cry If I Want To, 1963)
“Lesley Gore hit the number one position on the American singles chart with her first release, “It’s My Party.” It was about a teenager who lost her boyfriend to another girl at a party. It topped the American charts for two weeks during mid-1963. Several months later she released the follow-up, “Judy’s Turn To Cry.” The tables were now turned and the girl had her boyfriend back and it was “Judy’s Turn To Cry.” It was a great early 1960′s up-tempo pop tune. The bulk of her hits were released before she turned 20 and they remain some of the most radio friendly of their era.”
2. You Don’t Own Me (Lesley Gore Sings Of Mixed-Up Hearts, 1963)
“Lesley Gore was ridiculously talented, and it’s a shame she’s best-known for just a couple of songs. Still, if you’re only going to be remembered for a couple of songs, best be that one of them is “You Don’t Own Me”, a proto-feminist anthem that, despite being over-amped to the nth degree, is anything but melodramatic. “
1. It’s My Party (I’ll Cry If I Want To, 1963)
“Lesley Gore was sixteen when “It’s My Party” was released and was close to her seventeenth birthday when it reached the number one position on The American singles charts for two weeks in May of 1963. It was an upbeat and catchy tune which told the eternal high school story of love lost. She would get her revenge with the song “Judy’s Turn To Cry.”