Mickey (Toni Basil song)

"Mickey" (originally titled as "Kitty") is a song recorded by American singer and choreographer Toni Basil for her debut studio album, Word of Mouth (1981). It was first recorded by the pop group Racey. Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn wrote the song, while production was helmed by Greg Mathieson and Trevor Veitch. Basil's version is new wave, featuring guitar, synthesizers and cheerleading chants. It garnered a mixed response from music critics, with some critics praising the radio-friendly nature of the song, while others described some of the lyrics as obscene.

"Mickey"
Artwork for US vinyl release
Single by Toni Basil
from the album Word of Mouth
B-side
  • "Hanging Around"
  • "Thief on the Loose"
ReleasedJanuary 3, 1982
Recorded1981
Genre
Length
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Toni Basil singles chronology
"Breakaway"
(1966)		 "Mickey"
(1982)		 "Nobody"
(1982)
Music Video
"Mickey" on YouTube

Background

The song was originally performed by British pop group Racey, with the title "Kitty", and was included on their debut studio album Smash and Grab in 1979. The original Racey song did not include the "Oh Mickey, you're so fine" chant, which Basil added.[5]

For years, it was rumored that the name was changed to Mickey because Basil developed a crush on the Monkees' drummer and lead vocalist Micky Dolenz, after meeting him on the set of their movie, Head, for which she was the choreographer. However, that claim has been denied by Basil, who has said that she "didn't really know Micky at all".[6] In January 2020, Basil released a re-recording of the song as "Hey Mickey" to digital and streaming platforms.[7]

On August 31, 2017, Basil filed a multi-claim lawsuit against Razor & Tie Direct, Forever 21, Disney, Viacom, VH1, and South Park.[8] Basil alleged that the defendants had commercially used the song "Mickey" without a license and damaged her right of publicity, claiming excess of $25,000 in damages.[8] Basil also filed a lawsuit against AMC on May 12, 2020, for the unauthorized use of "Mickey" in a trailer for Preacher.[9] On August 27, 2020, a California state of appeals court affirmed dismissal of Basil's case.[10]

Composition

According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Music, the song is written in the key of E major and is set in time signature of common time with a tempo of 145 beats per minute.[11] Basil's vocal range spans two octaves, from B3 to C♯5.[11]

Critical reception

Rock critic Robert Christgau commented on the perceived 'obscene' content of the lyric "So come on and give it to me / Any way you can / Any way you want to do it / I'll take it like a man". Christgau wrote in a review at the time that Basil "was the only woman ever to offer to take it up the ass on Top 40 radio." However, Basil adamantly denies this: "NO! That's ridiculous. People read shit into everything. It's not about anything dirty. You change the name from boy to girl" — i.e., from "Mickey" to "Kitty" — "and they read anything they want into it! When it's a guy singing about a girl, it's a sweet line. But when a girl sings it, it must mean butt-fucking! This is how the wrong foot gets cut off when the doc wheels you into the E.R. Then it's Micky Dolenz and butt-fucking."[6]

The single scored number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for one week and number two in the UK Singles Chart. The song was Basil's only Top 40 success.[12][13] It was named Number 6 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80's.[14]

Music video

The music video was directed, produced and choreographed by Basil herself. The cheerleaders featured in the video were members of a championship squad from Carson High School in Carson, California. The cheerleading uniform Basil wore in the music video was the one she actually wore in high school. According to Basil, "They didn't put anything in the budget, I did everything myself. And this is the actual cheer sweater from Las Vegas High."[15]

Track listings and formats

US 7" single[16]

  1. "Mickey" – 3:36
  2. "Thief on the Loose" – 3:50

International 7" single[17]

  1. "Mickey" – 3:36
  2. "Hanging Around" – 4:06

US 12" single

  1. "Mickey" (Special Club mix) (Short) – 4:32
  2. "Mickey" (Special Club mix) (Long) – 5:58

Alternate US 12" single[18]

  1. "Mickey" (Special Club mix) – 5:58
  2. "Mickey" (Spanish version) – 5:12
  1. "Mickey" – 3:30
  2. "Hanging Around" – 3:59
  • SG CD single (1994)[20]
  1. "Mickey" (Original Version) – 3:29
  2. "Mickey" (7" New Mix) – 6:03
  3. "Mickey" (12" New Mix) – 4:13
  4. "Mickey" (12" Alternative Version) – 3:57
  5. "Mickey" (7" Instrumental) – 6:16
  6. "Mickey" (7" Smart E's Version) – 6:04
  7. "Mickey" (12" Smart E's Version – 6:16
  8. "Mickey" (Smart E's Dub) – 6:16
  • US CD single (1999)[21]
  1. "Mickey" (Radio Remix) – 3:29
  2. "Mickey" ("Back to the Future" Club Mix) – 6:03
  3. "Mickey" ("Killa Klub" Edit) – 3:57
  4. "Mickey" ("Killa Klub" Mix) – 6:16
  5. "Mickey" ("Killa Klub" Dub) – 6:04
  • HK CD single (1999)[22]
  1. "Mickey" (Radio Remix) – 3:29
  2. "Mickey" ("Back to the Future" Club Mix) – 6:03
  3. "Mickey" (Jason Nevins Radio Remix) – 4:13
  4. "Mickey" ("Killa Klub" Edit) – 3:57
  5. "Mickey" ("Killa Klub" Mix) – 6:16
  6. "Mickey" ("Killa Klub" Dub) – 6:04
  • Digital rerecording (2020)[7]
  1. "Hey Mickey" – 4:12

Credits and personnel adapted from Word of Mouth album liner notes.[23]

Charts

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[42] Gold 50,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[43] 2× Platinum 200,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[44] Gold 500,000^
United States (RIAA)[45] Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Lolly version
"Mickey"
Single by Lolly
from the album My First Album
ReleasedSeptember 6, 1999 (1999-09-06)[46]
Length3:35
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Dufflebag Boys
Lolly singles chronology
"Viva La Radio"
(1999)		 "Mickey"
(1999)		 "Big Boys Don't Cry"
(1999)

English singer Lolly covered "Mickey" and released it as a single in September 1999. Her version reached number four on the UK Singles Chart the same month. There is also a karaoke version of the cover on the album.

Track listings

UK CD1 and Australian CD single[47]

  1. "Mickey" – 3:35
  2. "Sweetheart" – 2:52
  3. "Mickey" (Karaoke version) – 3:35
  4. "Mickey" (CD ROM video)

UK CD2[48]

  1. "Mickey" – 3:35
  2. "Mickey" (Creator remix) – 5:58
  3. "Mickey" (D-Bop remix edit) – 4:22
  4. "Mickey" (The Bold & The Beautiful remix) – 5:50

UK cassette single[49]

  1. "Mickey" – 3:35
  2. "Mickey" (Karaoke version) – 3:35

Charts

Other versions and adaptations

Adaptations and parodies

"Weird Al" Yankovic parodied this song for his 1983 self titled debut album as "Ricky", a parody of and tribute to I Love Lucy. Yankovic himself sang the Ricky part while voice actress Tress MacNeille performed the Lucy part.

Language versions

Carola Häggkvist released a Swedish version of the song in 1983, which achieved success in Scandinavia. The Swedish version had lyrics written by Ingela "Pling" Forsman for the 1983 album Främling.[55]

Japanese comedian-musician Gorie scored no. 1 on the Japanese singles chart for two weeks with a Japanese-language version featuring vocals by American-born Jasmine Ann Allen.

Samplings

The entire structure of the Run–D.M.C. song "It's Tricky" was consciously lifted from "Mickey". According to DMC: "I just changed the chorus around and we just talked about how this rap business can be tricky to a brother."[56]

See also

References
  1. Cateforis, Theo (2011). Are We Not New Wave? : Modern Pop at the Turn of the 1980s. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978-0-472-03470-3.
  2. Robbins, Ira. "Toni Basil". Trouser Press. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  3. "This is not a brown love song: misinterpreting Toni Basil's Mickey". Steve Pafford. March 18, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  4. "Mickey / Thief on the Loose". 45cat.com. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  5. Kim, Kristen Yoonsoo (September 13, 2012). "One-Hit Wondering – Toni Basil". Vice. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  6. Day, Adrienne (August 17, 2012). "Vulture Investigates: Is Toni Basil's 'Mickey' Really About...Well, You Know?". Vulture. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  7. "Hey Mickey – Single". Apple Music. January 24, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  8. Shanley, Patrick (August 31, 2017). ""Mickey" Singer Sues Disney, Viacom, 'South Park,' Others for Unauthorized Use of Song". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  9. Jahner, Kyle (May 12, 2020). "Not so Fine: Singer Sues AMC for Using Song 'Mickey' in Promo". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  10. Allsup, Maeve (August 27, 2020). "Toni Basil's 'Mickey' Licensing Suit Tossed Out in California". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  11. "Mickey by Toni Basil – Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. July 13, 2015. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  12. "Toni Basil Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  13. Huey, Steve. "Toni Basil – Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  14. "100 Greatest One Hit Wonders Of The 80s: Read the List". VH1. April 1, 2009. Archived from the original on August 6, 2009.
  15. "Dance, dance, dance! Toni Basil has all the right moves". CBS News. February 9, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  16. Mickey (US 7" Vinyl liner notes). Toni Basil. Chrysalis. 1982. CHS 2638.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. Mickey (German 7" Vinyl liner notes). Toni Basil. Radialchoice. 1981. 1C 006-64 426.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. Mickey (US 12" Vinyl liner notes). Toni Basil. Chrysalis. 1982. CDS 2666.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. Mickey (UK 7" Vinyl liner notes). Toni Basil. Radialchoice. 1982. TIC 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. Mickey (SG CD Single liner notes). Toni Basil. Form Records. 1994. FRCDS001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. Mickey (US CD Single liner notes). Toni Basil. Razor & Tie. 1999. 7930180750-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. Mickey (HK CD Single liner notes). Toni Basil. Razor & Tie. 1999. AVTCDS-157.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. Word of Mouth (Inlay cover). Toni Basil. Chrysalis. 1982. FV 41410.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. "Australia No. 1 hits -- 1980's". World Charts. Archived from the original on January 9, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  25. "Toni Basil – Mickey" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  26. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6192." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  27. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Mickey". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  28. "Toni Basil – Mickey" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
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  30. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (B)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  31. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  32. "Toni Basil Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  33. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending DECEMBER 18, 1982". Cash Box. Archived from the original on September 21, 2012.
  34. "Offiziellecharts.de – Toni Basil – Mickey" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  35. "National Top 100 Singles for 1982". Kent Music Report. January 3, 1983. Retrieved January 22, 2023 – via Imgur.
  36. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
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  39. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1982". Cash Box. Archived from the original on September 21, 2012.
  40. "The Top Singles of 1983". RPM. Vol. 39, no. 19. Library and Archives Canada. December 24, 1983.
  41. "Top 100 Hits for 1983". The Longbored Surfer. Archived from the original on November 29, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  42. "Kent Music Report No. 453 – 28 February 1983 > Platinum and Gold Singles 1982". Kent Music Report. Retrieved August 4, 2018 – via Imgur.
  43. "Canadian single certifications – Toni Basil – Mickey". Music Canada.
  44. "British single certifications – Toni Basil – Mickey". British Phonographic Industry.
  45. "American single certifications – Toni Basil – Mickey". Recording Industry Association of America.
  46. "New Releases – For Week Starting 6 September, 1999". Music Week. September 4, 1999. p. 23.
  47. Mickey (UK CD1 & Australian CD single liner notes). Lolly. Polydor Records. 1999. 561 368-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  48. Mickey (UK CD2 liner notes). Lolly. Polydor Records. 1999. 561 369-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  49. Mickey (UK cassette single sleeve). Lolly. Polydor Records. 1999. 561 368-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  50. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 170.
  51. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 39. September 25, 1999. p. 16. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  52. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  53. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  54. "Best Sellers of 1999: Singles Top 100". Music Week. January 22, 2000. p. 27.
  55. "Främling" (in Swedish). Svensk mediedatabas. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  56. McLeod, Kembrew; DiCola, Peter (2011). Creative License: The Law and Culture of Digital Sampling. Duke University Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-8223-4875-7.
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