The Supreme Court and an '80s One-Hit Wonder

While Tommy Tutone would appear to have nothing to do with the Supreme Court, Justice Elena Kagan worked a reference to his lone hit into a recent decision. In her majority opinion in American Trucking Association v. City of Los Angeles, Kagan wrote: "The two directly at issue here compel the company to (1) affix a placard on each truck with a phone number for reporting environmental or safety concerns (You’ve seen the type: 'How am I driving? 213–867–5309.')" Kagan was in her early 20s when Tutone scored his lone hit in 1982, "867-5309/Jenny."

You can find the Tutone song in Like, Omigod! The 80$ Pop Culture Box (Totally) (CD 21291-21297 Disc 2) and with songs by artists with similar career trajectories in VH1 Selections from 1 Hit Wonders (MP1630.18 .P66 V5 2007).

Scott Bomboy, editor-in-chief of the National Constitution Center, reports on this and the history of the song for Constitution Daily:

Justice Elena Kagan adds to the Tommy Tutone legend