It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To Lyrics Sung by Lesley Gore
Nobody knows where my Johnny has gone
Judy left the same time
Why was he holding her hand
When he’s supposed to be mine
It’s my party, and I’ll cry if I want to
Cry if I want to, cry if I want to
You would cry too if it happened to you
Playin’ my records, keep dancin’ all night
Leave me alone for a while
‘Till Johnny’s dancin’ with me
I’ve got no reason to smile
It’s my party, and I’ll cry if I want to
Cry if I want to, cry if I want to
You would cry too if it happened to you
—— LEAD BREAK ——
Judy and Johnny just walked through the door
Like a queen with her king
Oh what a birthday surprise
Judy’s wearin’ his ring
It’s my party, and I’ll cry if I want to
Cry if I want to, cry if I want to
You would cry too if it happened to you
Enjoy This Video of It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To
IT’S MY PARTY LYRICS – FACTS ABOUT THE SONG
“It’s My Party” is a song most formerly known by American singer Lesley Gore in 1963. This song hit number one on both the pop and rhythm and blues charts in the United States and number 9 in the United Kingdom, becoming Gore’s only major hit in the UK.
The song lyrically portrays the emotional downfall and public humiliation of a teenage girl who, at the birthday party she is throwing, is humiliated when her boyfriend, Johnny, abruptly leaves her and takes up with a girl named Judy, to whom he gives a ring to show his love for her.
The song’s chorus, “It’s my party, and I’ll cry if I want to… You would cry too if it happened to you,” quickly became a part of American pop cultural language as a phrase used to describe being utterly humiliated and miserable during an event that is supposed to be a happy occasion.
Because of the pop cultural obsession with the song and the tragic nature of the song, Lesley Gore recorded a sequel titled “Judy’s Turn to Cry”. In the song, the teenage girl narrator gets her revenge on Judy after all the pain and humiliation she caused her. In the lyrics the narrator explicitly finds “foolish” how much she cried when she saw Johnny and Judy together, and seems determined to start anew. She kisses another guy in front of Johnny and Judy during another party, which causes a jealous Johnny to jump at and punch the other boy, then get back together with her.
“Judy’s Turn To Cry” was not quite as popular as “It’s My Party”, but still was a sizeable hit, reaching #5 on the Billboard charts in the summer of 1963.
