867-5309 / Jenny

Released in 1981 as a single from the album Tommy Tutone 2, "867-5309/Jenny" is a catchy new wave/power pop track written by Alex Call and Jim Keller. The song's narrative follows an unnamed protagonist who discovers the phone number "867-5309" scrawled on a bathroom wall next to the name "Jenny," accompanied by an implied invitation for a good time. Overwhelmed by curiosity, longing, and a mix of excitement and anxiety, he fixates on the digits as a lifeline to connection, repeatedly chanting the number like a mantra while pleading for Jenny not to change it. The lyrics blend desperation ("Jenny, Jenny, who can I turn to?") with fantasy ("You're the girl for me"), portraying Jenny as an enigmatic ideal—known only through this anonymous scribble—whom he imagines as his perfect match, despite never having met her. Musically, it's driven by infectious guitar riffs and a rhythmic hook that mirrors the obsessive dialing motif, capturing the thrill of impulsive romance in the pre-cellphone era.The track became a massive hit, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and staying on the charts for 40 weeks, fueled by MTV airplay and its earworm chorus. It sparked a cultural phenomenon, with prank callers nationwide dialing 867-5309 to "ask for Jenny," leading to real-life harassment (one Alabama resident received endless calls and changed her number in 1982). Contrary to urban legends, no real Jenny inspired it—Call invented the number for its rhythmic flow, though the band later fabricated stories for publicity. Its legacy endures as a symbol of youthful infatuation and the perils of public phone numbers, influencing everything from TV tropes (like fake 555 prefixes) to covers by artists like Nirvana.