Judy's Turn To Cry

Album: I'll Cry if I Want To (1963)
Charted: 5
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Songfacts®:

  • This is a sequel to Gore's previous hit "It's My Party." It continues the story of the lead character who was dumped by Johnny for Judy at her party. The lead character attended another party sometime later. She noticed Johnny and Judy kissing, so she kissed another boy to make them jealous. Angered, Johnny came over and punched the boy, realizing how much he loved her. The lead character and Johnny reunited; now, Judy's left out in the cold. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jerro - New Alexandria, PA

Comments: 12

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 30th 1963, "Judy's Turn To Cry" by Lesley Gore entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #80; and on August 11th, 1963 it peaked at #5 (for 2 weeks) and spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
    It reached #10 on Billboard's R&B Singles chart...
    It was the 2nd of four straight Top 10 records by her; started with "It's My Party" (#1 for 2 weeks), this one, then "She's A Fool" (#5 for 1 week), and finally "You Don't Own Me" (#2 for 3 weeks)
    She almost had five straight Top 10 records, but "That's The Way Boys Are" peaked at #12...
    The week "Judy's Turn to Cry" entered the Top 100, "It's My Party" was at #5 on the chart.
  • Elmer from Westville, OkLesley Gore's producer was the great Quincy Jones. His production on "It's My Party," "Judy's Turn to Cry," and other Gore hits was fantastic for the Sixties. Jones' productions overshadowed the silly themes on those two hits (thank goodness!). This was 1963 when rock & roll charts had many sounds like surf music, hot rods, the great dance hits, the girl groups/the girl sounds, folk music, pop music, and instrumentals. And all just before the Beatles. It was a fun time & Lesley Gore became the "Teen Queen."
  • Dave from Cardiff, WalesThe weird thing is, everyone sympathises with and roots for the narrator. But in "It's My Party" it doesn't actually state that the narrator and Johnny are, or ever were, a couple. To me it actually comes across that the narrator has fancied Johnny like mad for a long time, but he is in love with Judy, and the narrator is depressed and jealous because Johnny proposes to Judy on the narrator's birthday, after she had secretly hoped that she and Johnny would hook up with her on her birthday when she invited him to her party. The line is "he's supposed to be mine", not "he is mine", and this is her saying I wish he was with me, not her. Personally I always took the song to be about an unrequited crush, rather than a relationship that came to an end because Johnny cheated. Just my opinion
  • Julius from New York City, Ny"Lollipop" was co-written by Julius Dixson and Beverly Ross. Other collaborations between Dixson and Ross include "Dim Dim The Lights" by Bill Haley and The Comets and "Widow Walk" by Damita Jo. - Julius Jr.
  • John from Mineola, NyWho would want a girl who coldly uses a boy just to make her ex-boyfriend jealous, then couldn't care less when that hapless boy is punched as a result?
  • Andrew from Birmingham, United StatesWhat happened with the substitute boy Leslie kissed? Is he now with Judy? Or does Judy even deserve the substitute? Leslie forgave Johnny for leaving her. Is that substitute gonna forgive Johnny for punching him? If this substitute can't get over what happened, maybe Judy does get him.
  • John from Gainesville, VaLesley took Johnny back in Judy's Turn To Cry, however, it was on her terms, not his terms as she stated in You Don't Own Me--don't tell me what to do! don't tell me what to say! Yeah Lesley, tell him!
  • Garrett from Nashville, TnCo-written by Beverly Ross, who wrote "Lollipop."
  • John from Fort Worth, TxI first remember hearing "It's My Party" when I was eleven in 1972. That was a time I was discovering the kind of music that refered more to teen angst and the typical teen experience. I always loved the sound of "It's My Party." A few years later, in the late '70s Lesley Gore was a host of Midnight Special(?) and sang a medley of her hit songs including "Judy's Turn To Cry." Wow! That was heavy duty to me. I later found the single and learned it by heart. I know the song is from a girl's perspective but I was so influenced by the example of the patience and endurance of true love.

    John, 44, Fort Worth
  • Jerry from Brooklyn, NyNow that Leslie has "come out", it's Johnny's turn to cry because maybe now Judy and Leslie are together!
  • Michael from Cincinnati, OhWhen I was in high school, I knew these two girls who made fun of their parents over this song. Their names were Judy and John, and they met at a party where John dumped his then-girlfriend for the girl who would become their mother. Curiously, or perhaps not so curiously, they are now divorced.
  • Danielle from Spruce Grove, Canadapersonally i wouldnt want johnny back LOL
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