I last saw Lesley Gore on October 4, 2010. Lesley was one of a starry assemblage of artists paying tribute to Marvin Hamlisch at New York’s Symphony Space. Though I seem to recall her making a comment about the song not being part of her current repertoire, she gamely performed her 1965 hit “Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows” for her friend Marvin, its composer. If you closed your eyes, you were back in time to a more innocent era – whether you had actually been there or not – and filled with the promise of love that was here to stay.
In 2012, Marvin Hamlisch left us, and now Lesley Gore has passed too, at the too-young age of 68. To borrow from the lyrics of that Hamlisch/Howard Liebling song, “everything wonderful” is what we’ve all felt while listening to a Lesley Gore record. Her sound – brash, boisterous, confident, big-hearted, bright and naturally youthful – defines the sound of early-1960s American pop.
The dynamic one-two punch of “It’s My Party” and “Judy’s Turn to Cry” were just the start of a remarkable career for the 16-year old from Tenafly, New Jersey. With the aid of producer Quincy Jones and arranger Claus Ogerman (surely one of the most underrated “triangle marriages” in music), Gore turned out one smash after another. John Madara and David White’s “You Don’t Own Me” remains a strikingly powerful anthem today, as resonant as ever, sung by a beyond-her-years Lesley. Other gems like Mark Barkan and Ben Raleigh’s sunny “That’s the Way Boys Are” and Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry’s “Look of Love” and sophisticated “Maybe I Know” are as happily infectious today as they were in 1964. Gore withstood the British Invasion and appeared in The TAMI Show, holding her own alongside the likes of James Brown, The Beach Boys and The Rolling Stones. She made a guest appearance on screens big (Ski Party) and small (Batman), and throughout the 1960s, consistently worked with the best and brightest composers, musicians and producers including Bob Crewe, Van McCoy, Jack Nitzsche, Russ Titelman, Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, Thom Bell, and Laura Nyro.
Lesley’s musical output slowed down in later years; her pair of albums for MoWest and A&M still remain ripe for reissue including 1976’s reunion with “Q,” Love Me by Name. She received an Academy Award nomination for 1980’s “Out Here on My Own” for the film Fame. Her final studio album, 2005’s Ever Since, was like a visit with an old friend. Much had changed, of course, but the soul and spirit were still warmly recognizable. Ever Since also reaffirmed just how talented a songwriter Gore was herself. In 2005, she appeared as host of the long-running PBS series, In the Life, which focused on LGBT issues. In doing so, Gore continued to inspire her fans with positivity.
It will always be Lesley Gore’s party. But rather than cry – and we may want to – we can, happily, continue to celebrate her spirit with the ebullient music she created. Rest in peace, Lesley.
For more on Lesley's music, please see our coverage of Ace Records' releases of Magic Colors (Lesley's "lost" psych-pop album) and her 1964 album Girl Talk.
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Loved your article, brought back memories of jitterbugging all night, doing the bop and the pony too! The days of innocence.
So sad to hear the news. She may have been 68 in the real world but will always be a teenager to her fans. RIP Lesley
I was so sad to hear this news this morning. Although I was born several years after Lesley's peak period in the 60s, she has been a favorite of mine since I discovered her "Golden Hits" album when I was about 7 or 8. She had a quality to her voice that was just so appealing. Plus, she and Quincy also chose top notch material for her to record so most everything she released is quite enjoyable.
I would love to see Ace go back and release her earlier Mercury albums. Their releases of "Girl Talk" and "Magic Colors" were excellent. And Joe, the MoWest and A&M albums sound like a perfect candidate for a future Second Disc Records release (hint, hint). 🙂
Sorry to hear Lesley has passed.. LOVE her records she made in the 60's. The Raven Records comp, "Start The Party Again" is a wonderful introduction/overview of her work from 63-68. Listening today in memory.
Her early stuff is all on the Bear Family box set. No need to wait for Ace label
That's true, Kevin, and the Bear Family box has been on my want list for years. It's a great set that I will definitely pick up one of these days for all of the non-album stuff and the booklet. But I really prefer individual album reissues where possible. It's not just about having the tracks for me. I enjoy having the albums in a proper "album format" with original cover art, liner notes, etc. If that makes any sense. I just don't feel like I actually own the album otherwise. I'm sure that's probably weird, but that's just the way my collector brain works! LOL!
Of course, the CD itself is in no way original, so it is not different from having the Bear Family. But what I DO recommend is buying original vinyl of Lesley Gore in MONO. The CD reissues are all stereo, and the mono mixes of her classic music are far superior in overall sound and in her voice. Get the mono!
R.I.P. Lesley Gore and condolences to her loved ones.
Hopefully, this might spur a release of her '60s Singles in their original mono mixes. I think hardly any of them are available on CD (I think only "You Don't Own Me", "Look of Love" and "Maybe I Know", of her hits...). It would be a good project for Real Gone or Now Sounds, or even Second Disc...
I was really saddened to hear about Lesley. Hers was a life well lived, and she gave many of us some great memories that continue to keep us young in our hearts. Thanks so much, Lesley.
A further thought regarding her Mercury recordings: Wikipedia shows, in addition to the canceled "Magic Colors" album, an earlier canceled album called "Off and Running." The Lesley Gore International Fan Club's website doesn't list the latter. Was there such a canceled album? If so, did the recordings made for it show up on later releases -- perhaps the "Canlifornia NIghts" album, or the Bear Family box? Thanks.
Lesley's music was part of my teenage years, but that was from 1989 onwards, so I was a bit late to the party. I lived on my mum's Start the Party Again cassette and the track You Don't Own Me. Back then it was extremely difficult to find anything other that than on Ms Gore in a store, then nearly 15 years latter I became more interested in her other work.
It took a while but I managed to find, overseas, a copy of her Someplace Else Now LP, which I treasure. Such a beautiful cover sleeve of Lesley. Thinking of converting it to CD, but I know as know as soon as it do, they'll finally re-master and release it. It's a beautiful album and would love to see it have the attention it deserves.