Today marks 100 days until the release of YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED! This auspicious occasion happens to fall on an even more important day–my daughter’s 11th birthday. We are celebrating later by going zip lining (hopefully I survive that!). But as for the book side of things, my whole family stepped up to help me record a parody of the ’80s song “Jenny/867-5309” by Tommy Tutone.

A few days ago, I asked my Instagram and Twitter followers what they thought I would replace 867-5309 with, and I received some answers that could have worked:

• The flight number (200-30-7 or perhaps MSA 2-37)
• 8-2-4-20-21 (the release date for the book)
• 1-1-5-19-7-8 (Jenny’s birthdate)

My first instinct was the flight number. I also considered somehow using Jenny’s birth date (1-15-1978). So those were both good guesses. I didn’t think of the book’s release date, but I could see that working!

When I sat down to write the lyrics, another very clear chorus rose to the top thematically:

It’s Not 1995

So, I present to you “Jenny/It’s Not 1995,” sung by me with backup vocals by my family and a special solo at the end from the birthday girl. Please note that we realized after we’d already spent about two hours trying to get this right that we should have found it in a higher key 🤣. Lyrics below the video!

Sung to the tune of “Jenny/867-5309” by Tommy Tutone!

Jenny, Jenny, where did you come from?
You boarded a plane that never landed
And we all thought that it had crashed long ago
But then it reappeared–you’re all the same age

Jenny, it’s not the same day
It’s been twenty-five years
Jenny, it’s not a big prank
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five

Jenny, Jenny, you’ve got to believe me
Oh, you don’t know how much has changed since you’ve been gone
I don’t know quite how to tell you this news
Everyone you loved is now old or deceased

Jenny, it’s not the same day
It’s been twenty-five years
Jenny, it’s not a big prank
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five

It’s not the (it’s not the)
It’s not the same day at all
It’s not the (it’s not the)
It’s been twenty… twenty-five long years

Jenny, you’re in a new time
Sorry it’s not a joke
Jenny, get used to it now

It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five

Jenny, Jenny, where did you come from?
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
You flew into a totally different century
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
It’s not nineteen ninety-five
Nineteen ninety-five
Nineteen ninety-five
Nineteen ninety-five
Nineteen ninety-five

I hope you enjoyed Jenny’s song! And coming up on May 24, to mark three months to release, I’ll be talking more about character names and why Jenny is Jenny. It’s not because of this song, but perhaps there’s still a connection…

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