867-5309/Jenny
| "867-5309/Jenny" | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Single by Tommy Tutone | |
| from the album Tommy Tutone 2 | |
| B-side | "Not Say Goodbye." |
| Released | November 16, 1981 |
| Format | 7-inch vinyl |
| Recorded | 1981 |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 3:47 |
| Label | Columbia 02646 |
| Writer(s) | Alex Call Jim Keller |
| Certification | Gold (RIAA) |
"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, on the Columbia Records label. It peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on the Billboard Top Tracks chart in 1982 (see 1982 in music).[1] Co-writer Call came up with both "Jenny" and the telephone number and completed the song with Keller.[2]
The song caused a fad of people dialing 867‒5309 and asking for "Jenny".[3][4]
Contents |
[edit] Creation
"There was no Jenny," songwriter Alex Call told a Tampa, Florida, columnist in June 2009. "The number? It came to me out of the ether."[5] However, on March 28, 2008, Tommy Tutone lead singer Tommy Heath stated on the WGN Morning News that the number was real and it was the number of a girl he knew. As a joke, he wrote it on a bathroom wall in a motel where they were staying. "We laughed about it for years," he said.[6]
[edit] Covers
The song Jenny has been covered by a number of artists, including Everclear, Foo Fighters, Less Than Jake, Mötley Crüe, Green Day, Bracket, Crease, and the Goo Goo Dolls.
In 2003 singer-songwriter Mark Weigle included the song on his album Different and the Same. Weigle changed the title to "867-5309 Jimmy".
[edit] Popularity and litigation
Brown University, which in 2002 owned the number in the 401 area code, transferred the number to Gem Plumbing & Heating,[7] a local business in Lincoln, Rhode Island. Gem began using the number in advertising campaigns both in Rhode Island and in eastern Massachusetts (area code 617). Gem trademarked the number in 2005.
In 2006, Benjamin Franklin Franchising, a large national plumbing franchise, began using a toll-free version of the number (+1‒866‒867‒5309). In 2007, Gem brought suit against Clockwork Home Services, the parent company of Benjamin Franklin Franchising, alleging a violation of its trademark. Clockwork contended that Gem's trademark was invalid. Effective in May 2007, Clockwork was ordered by a court to stop using the number in New England. Currently (as of July 1, 2011), +1‒866‒867‒5309 is back in the hands of Benjamin Franklin Franchising and is considered a valid method of reaching BFF customer support.[8][9]
The number in several area codes has been listed on eBay for sale.[10][11]
In July 2009, a Pennsylvania company had the number assigned to a Vonage phone line in the name of a small business, and then listed the entire business for sale on eBay, possibly allowing them to avoid the general rule amongst wireline telephone companies that numbers are the property of the carrier and may not be sold—which is why earlier attempts failed.[12]
In 2004, Weehawken, New Jersey resident Spencer Potter picked up the number for free after discovering to his surprise that it was available in the 201 area code, hoping it would improve his DJ business. Unable to handle the overwhelming volume of calls, he sought to sell the number on eBay in February 2009. Although bids reached $1 million, his inability to confirm the identity of the bidders led him to sell it privately to Retro Fitness, a gym franchise with a location in Secaucus, New Jersey that felt the 80's origin of the number tied in perfectly with their business's retro theme.[4]
[edit] Springsteen controversy
Singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen's popular single "Radio Nowhere" features a set of guitar riffs at the beginning that many fans considered particularly similar to "867-5309/Jenny", although the lyrics and the tone of the two songs are quite different. Heath said in response, tongue-in-cheek, "the kids do need braces so maybe I will" sue Springsteen for musical plagiarism. Heath clarified later on that he had no actual intention whatsoever of taking action and that he felt "really honored at a similarity, if any".[13]
[edit] Chart performance
| Chart (1981–1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 2 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 32 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 4 |
| US Billboard Top Tracks | 1 |
[edit] See also
- PEnnsylvania 6-5000, telephone number of the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City, and inspiration for the 1940 Glenn Miller song of the same name
- "Beechwood 4-5789," 1962 single released by Motown girl group The Marvelettes
- "634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)," soul song first recorded by Wilson Pickett in 1966
- "777-9311," 1982 song by The Time
- "853-5937," 1987 song by British band Squeeze
- "Diary" (Alicia Keys song), 2003 song whose release spurred listeners to call a phone number from the lyric
- Fictitious telephone number
[edit] References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), p. 638.
- ^ "Jenny (867‒5309)" Songfacts. Songfacts. Retrieved July 27, 2007.
- ^ Urban Legends Reference Pages: Jenny 867‒5309.
- ^ a b LaMarca, Stephen. "Jenny 867-5309 won't lead to Jenny". The Hudson Reporter. July 31, 2011. page 3
- ^ "BOB Stock back". Nl.newsbank.com. 2009-07-03. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=FMTB&p_theme=fmtb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=12936E532BAD1F30&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
- ^ now to post a comment! (2008-03-28). "Tommy Tutone Jenny 867‒5309 Live on WGN Morning News". Youtube.com. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aeBlPysd1E. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
- ^ http://www.gemplumbing.com/contact.html Gem Plumbing Inc. - Plumbing Contractor, Lincoln, Rhode Island.
- ^ [http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2007/05/19/jenny_they_got_your_number_now_2_firms_fighting_over_it/ Jenny, they got your number; now 2 firms fighting over it - The Boston Globe, May 19, 2007.
- ^ "Contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing". Benjaminfranklinparma.com. http://www.benjaminfranklinparma.com/Contact.aspx. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
- ^ CNN.com: '867‒5309' number for sale on eBay, February 2, 2009.
- ^ Duke, Alan. "'867-5309' bids up to $365,000". CNN. February 3, 2009
- ^ "867-5309 for sale | Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota". WTSP.com. http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=110425. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
- ^ Horowitz, Carl F.. "Sue Me, Sue You: Musical 'Plagiarism' in court". National Legal and Policy Center. Archived from the original on 24 May 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080524041323/http://www.nlpc.org/view.asp?action=viewArticle&aid=2229. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
