Lyric Representation

Analysis of lyrics

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

And don't tell me what to do
And don't tell me what to say
And, please, when I go out with you
Don't put me on display

'Cause, you don't own me
don’t try to change me in any way
you don't own me
Don't tie me down
'Cause I'll never stay

I don't tell you what to say
I don't tell you what to do
So, just let me be myself
That's all I ask of you

I'm young and I love to be young       
I'm free and I love to be free
To live my life the way that I want
To say and do whatever I please

And, don't tell me what to do, yeah
don’t, don't you tell me what to say
and, please, when I go out with you
don’t put me on display

I don't tell you what to say
I don't tell you what to do
So, just let me be myself
That's all I ask of you
I'm young and I love to be young
I'm free and I love to be free
To live my life the way that I want

The song ‘You don’t own me’ was written and produced by Lesly Gore during the 1960s when women’s liberation movement  came into play; More women felt as though they could do more ,build a career and not just be portrayed as a ‘man’s trophy’ which happed a lot in previous generations. Recently the song has re-released and contributes highly in the charts at the moment.

The song portrays a women’s view of being controlled by a man and not putting up with it by being only but her. By understanding lyrics we can see this happens especially when it firmly says in the first stanza” you don’t own me” suggesting that whoever the writer is referring to is controlling her, making it even more clear when using the adjective ‘own’; owning something means something belongs to you and you can have it when you need or when you want which sometimes used to emphasise a possessive relationship.

This song being popular to this day shows that although the song was written when times were different, men’s perception of women hasn’t changed and men are trying still to ‘own’ women due to the fact this song is still so popular. By reading the lyrics you can understand how women might feel towards the lyrics: powerful, happy and independent although men may feel different toward the lyrics.