A famous song advocating for female liberation and equality.
"You Don't Own Me"
Lesley Gore’s famous song, “You Don’t Own Me,” proves, through its emphasis on female empowerment, to be vital towards the Women’s Liberation Movement of the late 1960s. The lyrics predominantly focus on defying the normalized notion of female objectivity. As a young woman at the time this song was recorded and released, Gore perfectly embodied the ideal image of the American woman. Therefore, her defiance of the societal expectations epitomizes the influence she had on women in the American public. Gore portrays herself as relatable; hence, validating the inspirational power of this song. Gore’s, “You Don’t Own Me,” reconstructs the feminine ideals for women in the 1960s as she addresses women’s objectification and advocates for female liberation through utilization of the appeals of classical rhetoric, such as ethos, pathos, and logos. Gore’s song primarily represents her identification of female mistreatment followed by her strong declaration that validates the name of the song, “You Don’t Own Me.” She attempts through lighthearted music and contrastingly powerful lyrics to prove the equality of women compared to men. Gore utilizes her power as a singer and influential status among younger generations to defy female inferiority and promote female empowerment all with a short protest song. It becomes quite clear through the repetition of the chorus and littles variation among the verses that the words speak for themselves. They stand alone to emit the same message repeatedly and ensure the audience receives the message. Gore and her songwriters, John Madara and David White, recognize the influence of the words, and, hence, purposely attempt to unify the lyrics of the song. This stylistic choice reiterates the overwhelmingly obvious purpose of this song: to encourage women to foster self-respect.
To begin with, Gore sings about the normalcy of female objectification in her time. The lyrics provide ample scenarios that support male superiority. For example, Gore suggests that she is often referred to as “one of your many toys,” and is forbidden from consulting “with any other boys.” The language indicates the discriminatory behavior that is not so uncommon from men in their interactions with women. Furthermore, the lines, “Don’t put me on display” and “Don’t try to change me in any way,” epitomize the emphasis on female objectification. Both phrases singlehandedly induce the notion of a trophy wife, or, that the women are merely objects for male pleasure and satisfaction.
Ultimately, lyrics such as the lines aforementioned can be classified as pathos, the rhetorical appeal of emotion. The intended goal behind the word choice is quite clear. Gore strives to relate to women who listen to her song not only for entertainment but rather salvation as well. Gore hopes to emphasize that women are not alone in their suffering, for the ill treatment of women by men is not as uncommon as some women initially believed at the time. Her lyrics are personable in the sense that, as a woman, she is empathetic towards other women’s domestic and emotionally traumatic situations. It can be justified that she sings from the heart for herself and her internal struggles which doubles as an anthem for female liberation, freedom, and equality.
However, the specific lyrics identified above can also possess signs of ethos, or ethical rhetorical appeal. The male conduct discussed ridicules women as a partner, mother, daughter, and even human being. Gore constructs examples of maltreatment in her lyrics to reflect on how severely the actions of some men do no align with basic ethical standards. She stresses in her uniquely defiant tone that men would “try to change me” and “tie me down,” revealing the ethically appalling behavior on men’s behalf. While it is important to address that these accusations are only applicable a majority of the male of population of the 1960s, Gore is not concerned with the men who will treat her as an equal, for those are not the men responsible for provoking the necessity of a female empowerment song such as this one.
While Gore does outline female expectations and societal ideals, the majority of her song is dedicated to reflecting on what women should be and simultaneously rejecting these norms. After singing about female objectification, albeit very briefly, she transfers into vocals and lyrics of defiance. Fittingly enough, the opening lines of the song preach, “You don’t own me,” aligning with the name to signify immediately that it deals with female liberation. Additionally, the chorus begins with the inspiring words, “And don’t tell me what to do / And don’t tell me what to say,” stimulating an uplifting mood that persists throughout the duration of the song. It is crucial to acknowledge that the chorus is repeated four times in the relatively short song, but there are two versions. They are paramount to sustaining the mood and delivering the message. The first version of the chorus employs an implied “you” as the primary personal pronoun, while the second version of the chorus uses “I” as the pronoun. This juxtaposition in itself illustrates the double standard between men and women that Gore so passionately wants to convey to her audience. In other words, the lyrics switch from “Don’t tell me what to do” to “I don’t tell you what to do,” strictly to highlight that women do not objectify men, so they do not have the right to objectify women.
Moreover, Gore’s song channels the youth to promote the inspiration of young women and generations to come not to tolerate the societal expectations as dictated in the past by men and even the government. The song intends to reach women of all ages and span multiple generations, but Gore and her lyricists identify that the young women will be more likely to enact change for their future, for their domestic and familial burden is not nearly as lofty. Gore emphasizes that the inherent desire for change among women throughout this song exudes emotional rhetorical appeals once again. To reiterate, it appeals to the youth because it promotes self-image and individuality. It appeals to the middle-aged generations because it promotes the well-being of the individual and their daughters. Similarly, it appeals to the elderly generation because it promotes female empowerment for the individual, their daughters, their granddaughters, and even their great-granddaughters. Gore perfectly embodies the desperation that appeals to every woman seeking liberation, whether openly or discretely. The fact of the matter is that everyone is thinking it, and Gore and her lyricists realize that and say it for them.
Lastly, Gore considers the logical rhetorical appeal to justify the overarching message accentuated in her song, “You Don’t Own Me.” Corresponding to the prior discussion, the lyrics are full of double standards and illuminate disparities in equality between men and women. As evidenced in the two variations of the chorus and the weight of Gore’s frequent usage of the notion of being free, the song appeals to the audience’s sense of logic in order for the realization of inequality to set in. Gore hopes to strike a chord with the listeners and audience members of the time to aid their epiphany that it only makes logical sense for men and women to be treated equally. They are both human beings after all.
Closing Remarks
In summation, through the balanced use of ethos, pathos, and logos, Gore and her lyricists successfully aided the awakening of female liberation and empowerment in the early 1960s. While the feminist movement did not officially pick up until the late 1960s and early 1970s, “You Don’t Own Me” by Lesley Gore was accredited, according to Song Facts, for initiating the beginnings of the movement. Gore’s blunt message and passionate vocals successfully reached her intended audience and sparked a change in the relationship between men and women in the American society. Gore’s hit is a classic example of a protest song igniting emotions powerful enough to enact lasting change, as it is still influential to those who listen to it today.
For more insightful information on Lesley Gore's song, please visit Song Facts.