“You Don't Own Me” by Lesley Gore

Lesley Gore was 17 when she cut "You Don't Own Me" in 1963, a Mercury single produced by Quincy Jones and written by a pair of Philadelphia songwriters, John Madara and David White. It turned out to be her second-biggest record and her last trip into the top ten, and its message is plain as day: a young woman telling a man he has no claim on her, and meaning it.

That stance made it a banner for women's empowerment right out of the gate, and the decades since have only cemented its place as an early feminist anthem; it has also been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Gore called it her signature song, one that kept growing every time she sang it, and it turns up again on Ever Since, her 2005 album.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.