867-5309 / Jenny

The Zoo Crew is spinning the infectious power pop anthem "867-5309/Jenny" by Tommy Tutone, a track from their 1981 album Tommy Tutone 2, that’s got all the Zoo Freaks dialing up the nostalgia. This song, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, became a cultural phenomenon, sparking a prank-calling craze where fans dialed 867-5309 asking for Jenny. Co-writer Alex Call revealed in a 2004 Songfacts interview that the song’s origin was pure fiction: “I came up with ‘Jenny’ and the telephone number… sitting in my backyard. There was no Jenny.” He crafted the iconic riff and number, but it was Jim Keller, the band’s lead guitarist, who suggested the bathroom wall narrative, finishing the verses in just 15 minutes. Despite myths of a real Jenny or a recording studio, Call admitted these were fabricated for media buzz, though Tommy Heath once claimed he dated a girl whose parents’ number inspired it.

The song’s real-world impact was wild. In 1982, a Chicago radio station, WLS, bought the number from a woman tired of endless prank calls, receiving 22,000 calls in four days. Lorene Burns, an Alabama resident with the number, changed it after her husband kept mistakenly telling callers “Jimmy doesn’t live here anymore,” as noted in a 1982 Wikipedia entry. The number even caused legal battles, like when a plumbing franchise’s use of 866-867-5309 led to a 2007 trademark dispute. Tommy Heath, in a 2020 Forbes interview, called it “numerology or something, a magic combination,” noting its nursery rhyme-like quality. Social media posts on X, like one from @pensjim66 in April 2025, highlight its three-week reign at #1 on Billboard’s Rock Tracks in 1982, cementing its legacy.

Tommy Tutone, the band behind the hit, isn’t a solo artist but a group led by Tommy Heath, a misconception clarified on Reddit in 2022. Heath, born in Philadelphia, grew up as a military brat, moving through Texas, Montana, Tokyo, and finally Northern California. Drawn to San Francisco during the 1967 Summer of Love with hippie dreams, he instead formed the band in 1978 with Jim Keller and bassist Terry Nails in Willits, California, as detailed in a Billboard bio. Originally called Tommy and the Tu-Tones, inspired by doo-wop, they adopted the snappier Tommy Tutone. Their first single, “Angel Say No,” hit #38 in 1980, and they toured with Tom Petty, refining their rootsy power pop sound that blended Springsteen’s Americana with The Cars’ new wave edge.

Today, Heath, the only original member still touring, keeps the Tommy Tutone flame alive, balancing music with part-time computer programming in Portland, Oregon. Fans can connect via the band’s Facebook page, though their Instagram is less active, and no official X account exists. The official website offers updates on tours and merch. For Zoo Freaks wanting more, fan communities thrive on platforms like Reddit’s r/Music, where users like u/Juror77 in 2024 shared trivia about the band’s name. No dedicated fan websites or Facebook groups stand out, but the song’s enduring popularity ensures it’s a staple in 80s nostalgia discussions online.