Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole

'Jenny (867-5309)': How Tommy Tutone Did a Number on Rock

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In this episode of Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole, Butch and Kevin dive into the classic tune "Jenny (867-5309)" by Tommy Tutone. This 1981 hit became a hit based on its sticky guitar hook and the repeating of a phone number that, per the song, was found on a bathroom wall. It became a song that would troll many people who owned the number at the time, and it just kept on trolling down through the years.

Some of the highlights include:

  • The band's name is Tommy Tutone -- the lead singer's name is Tommy Heath.
  • Would it have been a hit without MTV?
  • The guys met Tommy after a show in recent years. It was an interesting experience.
  • The story of where the number and name came from is sort of like the Joker's back story ... ever-evolving.
  • It apparently was a real number, owned by a high school in Kentucky. The school allegedly got 50,000 calls in a week's time after the song hit.
  • Even today, the song is used by women to give out to rude guys in bars to get the guys to leave them alone.
  • The guys wrap up the show by actually calling the number.
    • ...more
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    Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit HoleBy Kevin Gibson/Butch Bays