Song:867-5309/Jenny
Album:Playlist: The Very Best 80s Radio Hits
The 1982 top five hit 867-5309/Jenny was the biggest hit for Tommy Tutone. One of their other songs charted so they are not technically a one hit wonder. But most fans will only remember this song. They only recorded three albums and then split up. Tommy Tutone was from Willits, CA in Mendocino County led by lead singer Tommy Heath and guitarist Jim Keller. They were originally called Tommy & the Tu-Tones and then shortened the name. They were the only two constant members and the revolving door of musicians in Tommy Tutone probably led to their demise. You need stability for longevity in the music business. Tommy Tutone signed with Columbia and their 1980 debut CD Tommy Tutone did OK. The single Angel Say No reached the top 40. But their second album Tommy Tutone 2 reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 200 mostly on the strength of 867-5309/Jenny which reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Heath and Keller usually split the songwriting duties. Keller co-wrote the song with Alex Call of Clover, best known as the backup band on Elvis Costello's My Aim Is True. Heath claims the song was based on a real girl and he wrote her number on a motel wall. Call claims he made up the phone number. Of course with a real phone number comes crank calls and the ensuing lawsuits. Heath said it was the number of the daughter of Buffalo's chief of police. So there was controversy but music fans love the song. Tommy Tutone's third album National Emotion didn't sell and then they split up. Collectables has released the first two Tommy Tutone albums on one CD. But I think most fans will only want the one song and you can get it on this Sony various artists budget CD. Tommy Heath became a computer analyst though he has revived Tommy Tutone a couple of times. They have been touring and are supposedly working on a new CD. Jim Keller is director of Dunvegan Music Publishing in New York and still plays local gigs. That company is owned by Philip Glass. Here's the video for 867-5309/Jenny by Tommy Tutone.
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