You Don't Own Me

Australian singer Grace teamed up with legendary producer Quincy Jones to remake Lesley Gore’s 1963 single “You Don't Own Me”, with the help of rapper G-Eazy and rap producer Parker Ighile. Jones, who produced Gore’s original 52 years earlier, suggested the project after meeting her at a charity banquet and hearing some of her music. Like Gore, Grace was 17 when she recorded the single. Gore’s original was considered a feminist anthem—one of the first major pop songs to assert female independence and denounce male possessiveness. The Star Tribune interviewed Grace about the song’s impact: “When I heard it for the first time, I thought it had an important humanist quality,” she said. “As I got older, feminism became more a part of my life and more a part of our whole awareness, and I could see why people would use it as a feminist anthem. I don’t care what age you are – whether you’re 16 or 116 – there’s nothing more wonderful than standing on the stage and shaking your finger and singing, ‘Don’t tell me what to do.’” Grace was aware of the history when she recorded her version. She told Billboard: "It’s difficult to be a woman in this industry. I’m around men all day. But I know who I am and what I want to do, and this song speaks to that. It’s so important to go after what you want, to be strong. Lesley’s generation paved the way, so I felt like this was a way to say thank you and to keep that momentum going." Cover Art was photographed and designed by John Liwag. The song is also featured in the film trailer and original soundtrack of Suicide Squad (2016), being Harley Quinn’s theme song.

[Intro: Grace] You don't own me You don't own me [Verse 1: G-Eazy] Woah, let's go But I'm Gerald and I can always have just what I want She's that baddest I would love to flaunt Take her shopping, you know Yves Saint Laurent But nope, she ain't with it though All because she got her own dough Boss bossed if you don't know She could never ever be a broke ho [Verse 2: Grace] 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 [Chorus: Grace] Don't tell me what to do And don't tell me what to say Please, when I go out with you Don't put me on display [Verse 3: Grace] 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'd never stay [Chorus: Grace] Don't tell me what to do And don't tell me what to say Please, when I go out with you Don't put me on display [Verse 4: G-Eazy] Really though, honestly I get bored of basic bitches She's the baddest, straight up vicious, texting her and asking her If she's alone and if she'd sent some pictures, she said no (what) Well goddamn, she said come over and see it for yourself Never asking for your help, independent woman She ain't for the shelf No, she's the one Smoke with her till the weed is gone Stayin' up until we see the sun Baddest ever, I swear she do it better than I've ever seen it done Never borrow, she ain't ever loan That's when she told me she ain't never ever ever ever gonna be owned [Verse 5: Grace] 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 I want To say and do whatever I please You don't own me You don't own me You don't, you don't You don't own me You don't own me You don't own me