You Don't Own Me (Pale Waves song)

"You Don't Own Me" is a song by indie pop band Pale Waves.

"You Don't Own Me"
Cover art for the digital download
Single by Pale Waves
from the album Who Am I?
Released	29 January 2021
Recorded	2020
Genre	Pop-punk
Length	3:16
Label	Dirty Hit
Songwriter(s)	Heather Baron-Gracie Sam de Jong
Producer(s)	Rich Costey
Pale Waves singles chronology
"Easy" (2021) "You Don't Own Me" (2021) "Fall to Pieces" (2021)
Music video
"You Don't Own Me" on YouTube

Music and lyrics

"You Don't Own Me" is a pop-punk^[1] song that was written by Pale Waves frontwoman Heather Baron-Gracie, and the singer-songwriter Sam de Jong; it is played in the key of C♯ minor and at 170 beats per minute.^[2][3] Described by Stitched Sound as a "empowering, guitar-heavy release of frustration",^[4] "You Don't Own Me" opens with a "gritty chugging guitar" riff that plays over the song's verses.^[1] The song then "transition[s] into a punk-pop [chorus] melody, which Avril Lavigne would be proud of".^[5]

Lyrically, "You Don't Own Me" is a repudiation of sexism and gender norms. In an interview with NME, Baron-Gracie explained that the track is "about what it’s like to be a woman in this world ... [It discusses] how society depicts, judges and criticises women on a daily basis. ... I also wanted to say a fuck you to everyone that plays by these fake delusional rules that women and gender need to fit inside a specific box."^[1] Many of the song's lyrics were inspired by instances of "sexist" and "inappropriate" behaviour directed at Baron-Gracie by men. The feminist ethos of the song is "unapologetic" and "angry" because, as Baron-Gracie put it, "we [i.e., women] are angry; we're sick of it!"^[6] Due to its message, Baron-Gracie has cited the track as "the most important on" Who Am I?^[6]

Music video

The look of the "You Don't Own Me" music video has been described as "a love letter to early noughties emo and pop-punk".^[7]

The music video for "You Don't Own Me" was co-directed by Heather Baron-Gracie and her partner, Kelsi Luck. Released on 1 March,^[8] the video is "a love letter to early noughties emo and pop-punk";^[7] the website Nü Sounds wrote that the visuals of "You Don't Own Me" are a "portal to early 2000s grunge; red hair, graffiti, all the works."^[9] The site also likened Baron-Gracie's dress to those worn by Melanie Martinez and called the overall production "a throwback of a lifetime".^[9]

Release and reception

"You Don't Own Me" was released as the fourth single from Who Am I?, and it debuted on 13 January 2021.^[10]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Who Am I?^[2]

Pale Waves

• Heather Baron-Gracie – vocals, guitar
• Ciara Doran – drums, synths, programming
• Hugo Silvani – guitar
• Charlie Wood – bass guitar

Technical

• Rich Costey – production
• Koby Berman – additional production
• Ciara Doran – additional production

Release history

Release history and formats for "You Don't Own Me"

Country	Date	Format	Label	Ref.
Various	29 January 2021	Digital download, streaming	Dirty Hit	[10]

References

1. Skinner, Tom (29 January 2021). "Listen to Pale Waves' gritty new "song for women" 'You Don't Own Me'". NME. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
2. Pale Waves (2021). Who Am I? (Vinyl record liner notes). London, UK: Dirty Hit.
3. "Pale Waves – You Don't Own Me". Tunebat. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
4. "Pale Waves release new single "You Don't Own Me"". Stitched Sound. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
5. Whitfield, Camilla (16 February 2021). "Single Review of Grunge-Pop Outfit Pale Waves' Empowering Track 'You Don't Own Me' & UK Tour Announcement". aAh! Magazine. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
6. Williams, Sophie; Baron-Gracie, Heather (12 February 2021). Pale Waves – 'Who Am I?' | Track By Track. NME. YouTube. Event occurs at 14:03–17:02.
7. Kapur, Desh (2 March 2021). "Pale Waves 'You Don't Own Me' / Video". All Music Magazine. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
8. Pale Waves (1 March 2021). "Pale Waves – You Don't Own Me". YouTube. Archived from the original on 12 August 2021.
9. Bennett, Paige (8 March 2021). "Pale Waves release music video for 'You Don't Own Me'". Nü Sound Online. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021.
10. Skinner, Tom (29 January 2021). "Listen to Pale Waves' Gritty New 'Song for Women' 'You Don't Own Me'". NME. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021.