One Hit Wonder: Toni Basil (1982)

Mickey
Single: Toni Basil
Album: Word of Mouth
Released: 1982
Genre: New wave, bubblegum
Songwriters: Mike Chapman, Nicky Chinn

"Mickey" by Toni Basil topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for one week and reached number two on the UK Singles Chart. The songwriting team of Mike Chapman & Nicky Chinn wrote several other pop hits, including "Love Is A Battlefield" and "Ballroom Blitz." Their 1982 hit "Mickey" ranks number 5 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of All Time and 57 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '80s. 

Kitty by Racey

Racey
Racey

The British pop group Racey originally recorded this song in 1979 about a girl named "Kitty."  The band formed in 1976 and succeeded in the late 1970s and early 1980s with the Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn-written hits "Lay Your Love on Me" and "Some Girls." "Some Girls" was later recorded by Barry Manilow for his 1982 "Here Comes the Night" album.



Mickey by Toni

Toni Basil had the idea for the video before she found the music to accompany it. She changed the name of this song from Kitty to Mickey to make it about a man. Because she worked on the set of the Monkee's movie, "Head," rumors spread that she had a crush on Mickey Dolenz and named this hit for him. Basil denies it and says she didn't know him that well.

Two different music videos for "Mickey"  were recorded. One featured Basil with a backing band, and another featured costumes and choreography inspired by cheerleader dance routines. The cheerleaders were members of a championship squad from Carson High School in Los Angeles. Both videos were shot in 1981. Basil was 37 or 38 years of age at the time.

Tony Basil
Toni Basil

This was before MTV. The video established itself in the UK when various TV shows played it, sending the song up the charts. It peaked at number 2 in the UK in February 1982. It took a while before MTV got the video and started playing it. When they did, the song reached number 1 for a week in December 1982.



Ricky by Al

Ricky Ricardo & Lucille Ball I Love Lucy
Ricky Ricardo & Lucille Ball 

Weird Al Yankovic did a parody of this called "Ricky" based on a Ricky Ricardo/I Love Lucy theme. Al says the video cost about $3000 to make. At one point, he was supposed to be shaking maracas. Since no maracas were handy, he ended up shaking a bowling pin. 

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