"Private Number" by The Jets

Song#:  2825
Date:  08/09/1986
Debut:  76
Peak:  47
Weeks:  11
Genre:  R&B



Pop Bits:  This family band hit the mainstream with "Crush on You," the second single from their self-title debut album. It would reach #3 at Pop while hittting #4 at both R&B and Dance. For a follow-up, this next track was selected. It couldn't break through in the same way as the previous single and it stalled outside of the Pop Top 40 while only getting to #28 at R&B. It was a slight bump in the road for the group, but they would rally back in a big way with their next single.

ReduxReview:  The label went for another jam to follow up "Crush on You," but the tune just wasn't as hooky as their other hit. The song is fine and the production is solid with the rhythm guitar adding some nice texture. It probably could have been tried as the fourth single, but it just wasn't strong enough to follow "Crush on You."

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  At the beginning of the video for this song, someone is shown dialing a number on a pay phone. At the end, a piece of paper floats by that shows the number that was dialed. The number, 612-420-3226, was set up as a promotional gimmick in conjunction with the band's fan club and those who saw the video and took down the number could call it and hear messages recorded by the band. On rare occasions, a member of The Jets would actually answer the incoming call and talk with the person. This lasted for quite a while as the band enjoyed success. At some point, the number was relinquished and it seems it might belong to an individual now. Perhaps that person gets a rare call once in a while, but unlike Tommy Tutone's "867-5309/Jenny" where the phone number is in the song and still remember today, the number for The Jets has slipped into obscurity as it was not part of the song and only appeared briefly at the end of the video for a song that was not a hit.

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