867-5309...Not just your Grandma Jenny's phone number

I remember hearing this song as a child and thinking it was a fun song. It had a catchy tune--that sort of thing. Up until recently, if you had asked me what the song was about, I would have told you, "Well, it's about this girl named Jenny whose phone number is 867-5309." As a child, that's all I got out of the song. If you asked me about that song today, I would tell you that it is proof that human beings are indeed able to retain phone numbers despite the widespread use of cell phones and speed dialing. I would also tell you that it's about a creepy guy who spied Jenny's phone number on the wall in the bathroom and has since become obsessed with her.

I'm almost embarassed to admit that I really didn't figure that out until recently. As a kid, I really didn't pay attention to that sort of thing--it was more about the music than the lyrics. Of course I've heard that song on the radio since I was a kid, but I guess I still didn't really pay attention to the lyrics. It wasn't until I was taking guitar lessons in January that I really even noticed what the lyrics were. A couple of the teachers were rocking out to the song during our break and I realized how easy it was to play. When I went home, I went online to find the chords and lyrics. Just reading the lyrics without having the music really makes you pay attention to what the song is actually saying. And, honestly, it's pretty damn creepy!

Jenny Jenny you're the girl for me
You don't know me
but you make me so happy
I tried to call you before but I lost my
nerve
I tried my imagination but I was disturbed

Creepy, no? I'm a little relieved by the fact that he was disturbed by "using his imagination" (do you think that is a euphemism for something else?). But come on, to fall in love with a girl just because the you read a sign in a bathroom that says, "For a good time call..."? There's something not right about that. Yet we still like the song. It all goes back to that catchy tune.

I've decided that I need a catchy tune for my life. That way people won't notice how incredibly boring I really am. Wouldn't it be cool if we could all walk around and just sort of eminate a song that tells the rest of the world something about us? It would be distracting, I guess, but an interesting idea (to me, at least). If you'll excuse me, I need to go compose a catchy Kristi tune.