Sunnely Loc: Wisconsin

...but first, a couple of lucky events had to happen to make it possible.

Circa: Early '60s.
Location: East Coast.
Cast: This female artist and a budding record producer.

Details: To follow

No googling. Give up?

OK, here's the song:

Record: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIsnIt1p978

Live performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acRMALrg1t4

Redmond Loc: Oregon

gosh I'm getting old...

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I liked her music.
Here's one album if anyone is interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0WtUoXdQT8.
She passed away in 2015 at the age of 68.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yep! That was a big hit. It's too bad she passed way. I still listen to her in the car on my XM - "50s on 5."

Angel Star Photography Loc: Tacoma, WA

Geez, that brings memories. Thank you for sharing. I have a daughter-in-law who prefers the 50's/early 60's era both in music and life style.

Angel Star Photography Loc: Tacoma, WA

Indeed, I liked her music, too. She passed away at a rather young age. I sometimes go back to those times on Sirius-XM or Pandora.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Yup, sad.
XM channel 6 is my primary station in the car! (Second is Y2K country.)
I have a few of her songs in iTunes.
(Bunch of others on 45s also!)

Sunnely Loc: Wisconsin

I enjoy listening to her music, then and still today.

OK, here's the story.

An excerpt from Songfacts:

• Gore was 16 when she recorded this song, which led the media to call her "The Teen Queen." She took some voice lessons in New York City and recorded some piano demos with her instructor, which somehow got to Quincy Jones - at the time an up-and-coming producer.

Jones liked what he heard and decided to record her. In late February 1963, he brought a stack of demo tapes to her house and they spent an afternoon listening to one after another. The only one they both liked was "It's My Party," so they decided to record it.

Jones booked a standard 3-hour session at Bell Studios in New York City, and had Paul Anka write two more songs for Gore to record. They completed all three at the session on March 30, and Gore went back to ordinary teenage life. Just six days later, "Party" was released as Gore's first single, and she heard it on the radio for the first time. On June 1 the song went to #1, making her teenage life far less ordinary.

The first lucky break: According to True Music Facts Wednesday...As fate would have it, on the evening of Saturday, March 30, Quincy Jones and Phil Spector were both at Carnegie Hall for a concert. Making conversation outside of the venue, and without knowing that Jones had recorded the song with Gore earlier that day, Spector told Jones about his plan to record the song with The Crystals. Understanding that a Crystals version of the tune would sink his efforts, Quincy Jones hurried back to the studio and (allegedly that very night) pressed 100 copies of the song. He mailed the records to radio stations in key markets, and by the next Friday Lesley Gore heard herself on the radio. The song was officially released later in April 1963, and it hit #1 the first week in June. It was Quincy Jones' first #1 song, and the rest was history.

The second lucky break: According to Wikipedia...An earlier recording of this song was done by Helen Shapiro for her Helen in Nashville album in February 1963. However, Shapiro's version was not one of the cuts chosen as an advance single from the album and by the time of the album's release that October the "It's My Party" track was perceived as a cover of Lesley Gore's hit.

As to why the song was titled, "It's My Party": According to Songfacts...the song was written by freelance song writer Seymour Gottlieb with John Gluck, Wally Gold, and Herb Weiner, who were all staff writers employed at the Aaron Schroeder Music firm. Gottlieb's lyrics were based on actual events relating to his daughter Judy's sweet 16 party. Judy recalled to the New York Daily News in 2015, "My parents insisted that my grandparents had to be invited. I of course, being a bratty teenager, said I didn't want them there. I burst into tears, and my father said, "Don't cry." She responded by exclaiming: "It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to."

And oh, as for Spector and the Crystals, they never did record a version. They were too late to the party!

Sunnely Loc: Wisconsin

Thanks for the link, Longshadow. Great collection of Lesley Gore's music.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I also like "You Don't Own Me" - that says a lot!

Angel Star Photography Loc: Tacoma, WA

That's quite a story! Thank you for sharing it. I have always found it fascinating to learn the history and the behind-the-scenes events that transpired to bring about that with which we all are familiar whether it be in the arts, wars, or life events. Always more to the story than what we see and far more interesting, in my opinion....

Sunnely Loc: Wisconsin

Yep! A big loss. XM radio, that's satellite right, Jerry? I only have AM/FM stations 8-track tape. Something like the one pictured.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Years ago I had a stereo that recorded 8-tracks! I made my own compilations from LPs and 45s.
Now I do it on CDs...

traderjohn Loc: New York City

When music was music not this ...rap crap stuff. My car radio can hold 5 CD's 99% are The Oldies. On those special occasions I slip in Metallica and Kiss. I have no idea why, that at 76 I like their music.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Always liked her . . . .