Lesley Gore proved herself once again to be the little lady with the very big voice at Joe's Pub in Manhattan on April 22. Rock & Roll History Lesson in a Nutshell: Lesley, at the tender age of sixteen, was discovered by famed producer Quincy Jones, who brought her to Mercury Records in 1963. She recorded the song It's My Party which was a #1 hit, followed by many other successful songs (Judy's Turn To Cry, You Don't Own Me, Maybe I Know, to name but a few).
As it happens, the long awaited T.A.M.I. Show from 1964 was finally released on DVD last month. Along with James Brown, Chuck Berry, the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, and the Rolling Stones, Lesley Gore headlined that concert at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium and performs six songs in the film - kicking ass and taking names along with the best of them.
A terrific four piece band consisting of Darryl Tookes on piano, Frank DeMaio on guitar, John Arbo on bass and Frank Pagano on drums, backed up Ms. Gore as she exercised her considerable chops on material as diverse as cabaret, Motown, contemporary rock, jazz, and of course her own hits. Gore entertained the audience with quips about her life and career throughout: "We recorded this one on a Saturday afternoon, it was released on a Monday" about It's My Party.
One of the set's many standouts was Jacques Brel's Carousel which showed off the band's musicianship and their ability to work in tandem with Gore's lead vocal. Another was Gore's read of Anita O'Day's A Nightingle Sang in Berkeley Square. It's My Party was fun and fresh as new as we rediscovered wonderful lyrics like: "Judy and Johnny just walked through the door / Like a queen with her king / Oh what a birthday surprise / Judy's wearing his ring." Solo on piano, she performed the ballad Out Here On My Own, written with brother Michael, which was nominated for an Academy Award from the movie Fame.
John Lennon's Imagine was beautifully performed by Lesley with pianist Darryl Tookes as a duet. The show closer, You Don't Own Me, a pre-feminist rebel anthem to be sure and one of Gore's many hits from 1964, brought the house down. Don't tell me these opening lines don't bring you chills: "You don't own me, I'm not just one of your many toys / You don't own me, don't say I can't go with other boys" (check out this vintage performance of the song from YouTube). The audience gave Ms. Gore the standing ovation she deserved as the song came to an end. We may not own her, but in that moment she definitely owned us.