As a former steelworks employee I love this song. But did you know that the "Jenny" he sings to in the chorus isn't his wife or child, but the blast furnace at the Youngstown steelworks? It's common in the steel industry to name the blast furnaces at a plant - for example, the four BF's at Scunthorpe in the UK are called Anne, Bess, Victoria and Mary (after four Queens). 'Jeanette' (or 'Jenny') was the nickname of the furnace at Youngstown.
As a former steelworks employee I love this song. But did you know that the "Jenny" he sings to in the chorus isn't his wife or child, but the blast furnace at the Youngstown steelworks? It's common in the steel industry to name the blast furnaces at a plant - for example, the four BF's at Scunthorpe in the UK are called Anne, Bess, Victoria and Mary (after four Queens). 'Jeanette' (or 'Jenny') was the nickname of the furnace at Youngstown.
awesome information about "jenny" had no idea!
awesome information about "jenny" had no idea!
great insight, thanks! kind of makes the song even more tragic.
great insight, thanks! kind of makes the song even more tragic.