As a kid growing up in Kansas City, Brenna Whitaker fell in love with the m… Read Full Bio ↴As a kid growing up in Kansas City, Brenna Whitaker fell in love with the music of jazz and blues singers from a long-ago era. "Ruth Brown, Peggy Lee, Cab Calloway, Etta James - those are my people," says the L.A.-based vocalist. "I don't even know how I ended up knowing so many of their songs and standards from back then. It's almost like they found their way to me, like I'm from another time."

After landing her first professional theater gig at age 11, moving to New York City on her own to study with Broadway veterans at age 17, and spending her early 20s leading jazz bands back home in Missouri, Whitaker headed to L.A. and started setting up a series of residencies that eventually attracted fans like Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, and Michael Bublé and caught the attention of Verve Music Group chairman and 16-time Grammy Award-winner David Foster. The first new artist Foster has agreed to develop and produce since discovering Bublé, Whitaker is now set to release a debut album for Verve that finds her reviving a vast American jukebox of classic songs and revealing the full force of her stunning, soulful voice.

You Don't Own Me
Brenna Whitaker Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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 out with other boys.

And don't tell me what to do,
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'd 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
And 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,
don't 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'm free,

To live my life the way that I want
To say and do whatever I please

Overall Meaning

Brenna Whitaker's song "You Don't Own Me" is a powerful composition that speaks to the struggle against oppression and the desire to be oneself without fear of judgment or control. The song is a feminist anthem, encouraging women and girls to stand up and reject the notion that they are mere possessions or objects to be controlled by men.

The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song by establishing the singer's independence and refusal to be treated like a toy. She asserts that she has the right to go out with other boys and to live her life on her terms. The chorus echoes this sentiment by repeating that the singer cannot be owned or changed by anyone. She insists on being allowed to be herself, without the pressure to conform to society's expectations or anyone else's wishes.

The second verse further emphasizes the singer's desire to live free from the control of others. She points out that she doesn't try to control her partner and asks for the same respect in return. She emphasizes that she is young and wants to be able to live her life as she pleases, without the constraint of society's expectations or outdated gender roles.

Overall, "You Don't Own Me" is a powerful statement of independence and self-determination. It reminds us that we are all individuals and have the right to be ourselves without fear of judgment or control.

Line by Line Meaning

You don't own me
I am not your possession

I'm not just one of your many toys.
I am not an object for you to play with

don't say I can't go out with other boys.
Do not control my actions and who I spend my time with

And don't tell me what to do,
Do not dictate my behavior

don't tell me what to say
Do not dictate my speech

and, please, when I go out with you
And, if we go out together

don't put me on display.
Do not treat me like an object in public

don't try to change me in any way.
Do not attempt to alter my personality or character

don't tie me down 'cause I'd never stay.
Do not try to restrict me because I would not comply

I'm young, and I love to be young
I am youthful and enjoy being so

And I'm free, and I love to be free
I value my freedom and independence