Jenny's Songs: Behind the Mix

I was reading John Green's The Anthropocene Reviewed like a little nerd when he mentioned The Mountain Goats's song "Jenny." It made me think of the Studio Killers' song "Jenny." And "8675309 / Jenny." It made me wonder: How many songs are about Jenny?

Doing a search for "Jenny" and "Jennifer" on Apple Music and Juno Download proved that there were quite a lot. Hundreds. Maybe thousands.

So of course, I had to make a short DJ mix about all the manic pixie dream Jennys out there.

I downloaded 40-something songs and only wound up using 9. Killing your darlings is always so hard. Here's the thought process behind the 9 that made it.

1. Jennifer by Eurythmics: I didn't know this one before I went looking for Jenny songs, but as soon as I heard that intro synth line, I knew it had to open the mix. It has iconic opening energy. It commands your attention, but isn't in your face. It promises that we're going to go somewhere big. It's all build. Let's go.
2. Jenny from the Block by DJSM/Fyex: "Jenny from the Block" was one of the four songs I knew from the jump I had to include. I initially had the original from by Jennifer Lopez in the mix, but it just didn't flow well with the rest of the songs. Of course, many covers and remixes of it exist, and this was the final form I went with.
3. Jenny was a Friend of Mine by The Killers: This was one of the four core songs I built the set around. It's not tonally like the other songs. But that's okay, there can be one strong loner in the group. And I was really determined to send it into "Jenny" by Studio Killers, because that song is all about how Jenny is a friend, but should be more than a friend.
   
   This was the first time I used the "tap" function for the echo setting on my DJ controller. And, you can probably tell. I feel this transition could have wound up better, but hey, I'm glad I tried something new. I had also bee practicing a tone play transition from "Jenny was a Friend of Mine" to "Jenny," but decided in the end that worked even less well. Again, even though it didn't work out, I was glad to practice finger drumming and tone play, because those aren't things I've done before.
4. Jenny by Studio Killers: This is, perhaps, one of my favorite songs ever at this point. As someone who spent 3 years hiding my crush on my best friend (now husband!), it's a highly relatable song. Another of the four songs I built the mix around.
5. Jenny [Faustix Remix] by Studio Killers: This being one of my favorite songs, I've heard it perhaps too many times. So I went hunting for remixes. None beats the original in my opinion, but this one was nice to add variety.
6. like JENNIE by JENNIE: Uh oh! An alternate spelling! Is that allowed? Yeah, cuz this is hella a bop. Also, the transition from this to "8675306 Jenny (The Factory Team remix)" is my favorite in the mix. I didn't even really think about how it sounds like Jennie is picking up the phone saying "it's Jennie" until after I did the transition a few times. Love a good wordplay (often to the detriment of the sets, honestly, but I feel I won this one).
7. 8675306 Jenny (The Factory Team remix) by DJ Ac Dc: "8675306 Jenny" was the final of the four anchoring songs. In my mind, despite the Studio Killers' "Jenny" being my personal favorite, "8675309" is THE Jenny song to end all Jenny songs. But once again, I didn't feel like the original fit the vibes of everything else well. So I found this remix/cover that I thought went well.
8. Jenny by TWINSICK: I hadn't heard this one before I went looking for Jenny songs, but as soon as I heard it shout out Philly (ey!), I knew I had to include it. It's a nice feel-good one anyway.
9. Jennifer by Little Comets: I liked the idea of bookending the mix with songs about Jennifer rather than Jenny. And since this one ends with the line "well, it was always going to end like this," I decided to put it at the end. Other than that, what's not to like about an indie song that uses the word "taciturn"?

The hardest Jenny to kill: I really wanted to include "Jenny" by Electric Guest. It's produced by DJ Danger Mouse, who I greatly respect. It was hard for me to find a legal copy of it, which of course increases its cool factor. But in the end, I felt like it would have ruined the flow of the set. So I wound up cutting it out. But you should listen to it as an honorable mention!