Lesley Gore, ‘It’s My Party’ Singer, Dies at 68

Singer-songwriter Lesley Gore, who earned a No. 1 hit with “It’s My Party” in 1963, has died. Her partner of 33 years, Lois Sasson, told the Associated Press, she passed away on Monday from lung cancer at New York University Langone Medical Center. She was 68.

The Brooklyn born and New Jersey-raised artist was discovered by Quincy Jones and signed to Mercury Records when she was 16 years old. Together, Jones and Gore had a brief run of hits about adolescent love and heartbreak including “Judy’s Turn to Cry” (the sequel to “It’s My Party”), “She’s a Fool” and “Maybe I Know.”

Gore, who graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a degree in English/American literature, also co-wrote "Out Here On My Own," with her brother Michael, for the film Fame. The tune was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1980.

Gore is also known by comic book fanboys for her portrayal of Catwoman's sidekick Pussycat in the 1960's cult television show Batman.

Gore’s lyrical phrase, “It’s my party, I’ll cry if I want to,” has been referenced by several rappers and singers in the hip-hop and R&B world. Among them was Drake on his 2011 song "Take Care," in which he sings, “It’s my birthday, I’ll get high if I want to.” Fellow rapper Fabolous also used Gore’s catchy line on his 2003 song, “This Is My Party.”

On the R&B side, Robin Thicke sang the phrase seductively on his 2009 love ballad “Sex Therapy,” and Icona Pop remixed Gore's song into a girl power EDM track called “It’s My Party” featuring Ty Dolla $ign.

In addition to Sasson, Gore is survived by her brother and mother, Ronny. Funeral services will be held on Thursday (Feb. 19) at the Frank E. Campbell funeral home in New York.

We want to send our condolences to Gore's family and friends. May she rest in peace.

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