‘867-5309/Jenny’ is a song written by Alex Call and Jim Keller and performed by Tommy Tutone that was released on the album Tommy Tutone 2 (1981) through Columbia Records. It peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Rock Top Tracks chart in April 1982. The song led to a fad of people dialling 867-5309 and asking for "Jenny".
In a June 2004 interview, co-writer Alex Call explained the song's real origins: “Despite all the mythology to the contrary, I actually just came up with the 'Jenny,' and the telephone number and the music and all that just sitting in my backyard. There was no Jenny. I don't know where the number came from, I was just trying to write a 4-chord Rock song and it just kind of came out. This was back in 1981 when I wrote it, and I had at the time a little squirrel-powered 4-track in this industrial yard in California, and I went up there and made a tape of it. I had the guitar lick, I had the name and number, but I didn't know what the song was about. This buddy of mine, Jim Keller, who's the co-writer, was the lead guitar player in Tommy Tutone. He stopped by that afternoon and he said, 'Al, it's a girl's number on a bathroom wall,' and we had a good laugh. I said, 'That's exactly right, that's exactly what it is.' Tommy Tutone's been using the story for years that there was a Jenny and she ran a recording studio and so forth. It makes a better story but it's not true. That sounds a lot better than I made it up under a plum tree in my backyard.”
Alex Call continued, “I had the thing recorded. I had the name and number, and they were in the same spots, 'Jenny... 867-5309.' I had all that going, but I had a blind spot in the creative process, I didn't realize it would be a girl's number on a bathroom wall. When Jim showed up, we wrote the verses in 15 or 20 minutes, they were just obvious. It was just a fun thing, we never thought it would get cut. In fact, even after Tommy Tutone made the record and '867-5309' got on the air, it really didn't have a lot of promotion to begin with, but it was one of those songs that got a lot of requests and stayed on the charts. It was on the charts for 40 weeks. I've met a few Jennys who've said, "Oh, you're the guy who ruined my high school years." But for the most part, Jennys are happy to have the song.”
The song, released in late 1981, initially gained popularity on the American West Coast in January 1982; many who had the number soon abandoned it because of unwanted calls. In some cases, the number was picked up by commercial businesses or acquired for use in radio promotions.
Label – Columbia
Songwriters – Alex Call, Jim Keller
Producers – Jim Keller, Chuck Plotkin, Geoff Workman, Tommy Tutone
SONG LYRICS
[Intro](Hey!)
[Verse 1]
Jenny, Jenny, who can I turn to?
You give me somethin' I can hold on to
I know you think I'm like the others before
Who saw your name and number on the wall
[Chorus]
Jenny, I got your number
I need to make you mine
Jenny, don't change your number
867-5309 (867-5309)
867-5309 (867-5309)
[Verse 2]
Jenny, Jenny, you're the girl for me
Oh, you don't know me, but you make me so happy
I tried to call you before, but I lost my nerve
I tried my imagination, but I was disturbed
[Chorus]
Jenny, I got your number
I need to make you mine
Jenny, don't change your number
867-5309 (867-5309)
867-5309 (867-5309)
[Bridge]
I got it (I got it), I got it
I got your number on the wall
I got it (I got it), I got it
For a good time, for a good time call
[Guitar Solo]
(Hey!)
[Chorus]
Jenny, don't change your number
I need to make you mine
Jenny, I called your number
867-5309 (867-5309)
867-5309 (867-5309)
[Outro]
Jenny, Jenny, who can I turn to? (867-5309)
For the price of a dime
I can always turn to you (867-5309)
867-5309 (867-5309)
867-5309 (867-5309)
5309 (867-5309)
5309 (867-5309)
5309 (867-5309)