Mickey (song)
Encyclopedia
"Mickey" is a 1982 U.S. new wave
song recorded by singer and choreographer Toni Basil
. Written by Mike Chapman
and Nicky Chinn
as "Kitty", it was first recorded by UK
popular music group Racey
during 1979. Toni Basil changed the name from Kitty to Mickey to make the song about a man, and because she was fond of The Monkees
' lead singer Micky Dolenz
after meeting him on the set of their movie Head
as a choreographer. A music video
for the song, featuring costuming and choreography inspired by cheerleader dance routines, was played heavily on MTV
.
The single scored number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
for 1 week and number two in the UK singles chart
. The song was Basil's only Top 40 success, making her a "one-hit wonder
". It is named #5 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of all time, #16 on 20 to 1s Top 20 One Hit Wonders Countdown and #7 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '80s. It has also appeared on countless Greatest or Best lists and countdowns. San Francisco Giants
infielder Miguel Tejada
uses this as his walk up music.
International 7" single
U.S. 12" single
Alternate U.S. 12" single
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
song recorded by singer and choreographer Toni Basil
Toni Basil
Antonia Christina Basilotta , better known by her stage name Toni Basil, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, filmmaker, film director, choreographer, and dancer, best known for her multi-million-selling worldwide #1 hit "Mickey" from 1982.-Early life:Basil was born Antonia Christina...
. Written by Mike Chapman
Mike Chapman (record producer)
Mike Chapman is an Australian born record producer and songwriter who was a major force in the British pop music industry in the 1970s...
and Nicky Chinn
Nicky Chinn
Nicky Chinn born Nicholas Barry Chinn, 16 May 1945, London, UK) is a British songwriter and record producer. Together with Mike Chapman he had a long string of hit singles in the UK and US in the 1970s and early 1980s, including several number-one records...
as "Kitty", it was first recorded by UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
popular music group Racey
Racey
Racey was a British pop group, formed in 1976 in Weston-super-Mare, by singer Phil Fursdon and Clive Wilson. The group was formerly known as Alive 'n' Rockin.-Career:...
during 1979. Toni Basil changed the name from Kitty to Mickey to make the song about a man, and because she was fond of The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
' lead singer Micky Dolenz
Micky Dolenz
George Michael "Micky" Dolenz, Jr. is an American actor, musician, television director, radio personality and theater director, best known as a member of the 1960s made-for-television band The Monkees.-Biography:...
after meeting him on the set of their movie Head
Head (film)
Head is a 1968 psychedelic comedy-adventure major motion picture, starring TV group The Monkees , and distributed by Columbia Pictures...
as a choreographer. A music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song, featuring costuming and choreography inspired by cheerleader dance routines, was played heavily on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
The single scored number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
for 1 week and number two in the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The song was Basil's only Top 40 success, making her a "one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
". It is named #5 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of all time, #16 on 20 to 1s Top 20 One Hit Wonders Countdown and #7 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '80s. It has also appeared on countless Greatest or Best lists and countdowns. San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
infielder Miguel Tejada
Miguel Tejada
Miguel Odalis Tejada was a Major League Baseball infielder who has played for the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres, the Houston Astros, the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics...
uses this as his walk up music.
Chart positions
| Chart (1982/83) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
3 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
1 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
2 |
| Australian Singles Chart | 1 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 2 |
| German Singles Chart | 69 |
| Netherlands Singles Chart | 39 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 69 |
Track listings
U.S. 7" single- "Mickey" 3:36
- "Thief on the Loose" 3:50
International 7" single
- "Mickey" 3:36
- "Hanging Around" 4:06
U.S. 12" single
- "Mickey" (Special Club Mix) (Short) 4:32
- "Mickey" (Special Club Mix) (Long) 5:58
Alternate U.S. 12" single
- "Mickey" (Special Club Mix) 5:58
- "Mickey" (Spanish Version) 5:12
Lolly version
The UK singer Lolly scored a Top Ten hit in the UK singles chart in September 1999. Unlike the original, this version is very pop-heavy, and includes influences from that direction. In addition, there is also a karaoke version of the cover in the album.Charts
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 4 |
Other notable versions
- "Weird Al" Yankovic"Weird Al" YankovicAlfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
parodied this song for his 1983 self titled debut album as "RickyRicky (song)"Ricky" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of "Mickey" by Toni Basil. The song focuses on the show I Love Lucy, and ends with a segment of the theme from the show...
," a parody of and tribute to I Love LucyI Love LucyI Love Lucy is an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, on the Columbia Broadcasting System...
. - IrishRepublic of IrelandIreland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
girl group B*Witched covered the song for their American EP "Across America 2000." It was released as a Promotional single outside of the UK and it was used for the film Bring It OnBring It On (film)Bring It On is a 2000 teen comedy film about two competing high school cheerleading squads, starring Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford, and Gabrielle Union...
. - Swedish popular music singer Carola HäggkvistCarola HäggkvistCarola Maria Häggkvist , better known as simply Carola, is a Swedish singer and occasional songwriter. She has been among Sweden's most popular performers since the early 1980s, and has released albums ranging from pop and disco to hymns and folk music...
had a success in ScandinaviaScandinaviaScandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
with a Swedish languageSwedish languageSwedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
version of "Mickey" during 1983, with lyrics written by Ingela "Pling" ForsmanIngela ForsmanIngela Birgitta "Pling" Forsman is a Swedish lyricist in popular music. 1981–2009, 33 of her songs have competed in the Swedish Melodifestivalen, three of them winners: Bra vibrationer , Se på mej and Kärleken är...
. - Japanese comedian-musician GorieGorie, better known as ' or ' or ', is a Ryukyuan comedian, variety show host, seiyū, film director, and musician. He often appears in drag as a schoolgirl character. He is member of the owarai group Garage Sale. He has collaborated with Jasmine Ann Allen and Joann Yamazaki and they released 3 singles...
scored #1 on the Japanese single charts for two weeks with a version featuring vocals by American-born Jasmine Ann AllenJasmine Ann AllenJasmine Marika is American voice actress, singer and TV personality in Japan. Her first single with Japanese comedian Gorie topped the Japanese single chart for two weeks....
. - On September 25, 2009, a flash mob and orchestra performed a parody version ("Oh, Mackey, you're a swine. You're a swine, you blow my mind," etc.) inside a Whole Foods grocery store in Oakland, California, to protest Whole Foods' CEO John Mackey's public opposition to health care reform in the U.S., including his rejection of the principle that people have a right to health care.
- Spanish TV show Sé lo que hicistéis... (I know what you did...) used to play the song to introduce one of the hosts, Micki Nadal.
Songs which sample the Toni Basil recording
- Heidi MontagHeidi MontagHeidi Blair Pratt is an American media personality and singer. She came to prominence with her starring role on the MTV reality series The Hills from 2006 to 2010. Montag has also appeared on I'm a Celebrity.....
recorded a song titled "Bad Boy", which starts off sampling the song with "Bad boy you so fine, you so fine, you blow my mind." - The song was sampled by Nitty in the song, "Hey Bitty", which can be found on his album Player's ParadisePlayer's ParadisePlayer's Paradise is the second album by rapper and producer, Nitty. The album peaked at #30 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. The song "Hey Bitty" appeared on NBA Street Vol. 3.-Track listing:#"ABC"#"Hey Bitty"#"Nasty Girl"#"Like Dat"...
. - Limp BizkitLimp BizkitLimp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
sampled the chorus in "NookieNookieNookie may refer to:*Nookie, a drum and bass musician* a slang term for sexual intercourse derived from the Cockney Rhyming Slang expression 'nook and cranny', meaning 'fanny', or British army slang from Arabic niki, "I fuck" - a slang term referring specifically to the vagina...
[androids Vs. Las Putas Remix]" on their New Old SongsNew Old Songs- Album chart positions :...
album. - the starting chorus of the original song was sampled by electronic duo Boards Of CanadaBoards of CanadaBoards of Canada are a Scottish electronic music duo consisting of brothers Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin...
as a hidden song in the track "Iraq Says" on Old Tunes Vol. 2Old Tunes Vol. 2 (album)Old Tunes Vol. 2 is a rare studio-recorded IDM compilation album by Electronic music duo Boards of Canada. One of the three Boards of Canada tapes collectively referred to as Old Tunes, Old Tunes Vol...
. - MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
sampled part of the chorus for "Dress You UpDress You Up"Dress You Up" is a song by American singer Madonna. It was released as the final single from her second studio album, Like a Virgin, on July 24, 1985, by Sire Records. The song was the last track to be added to the album as it was submitted late by songwriters Andrea LaRusso and Peggy Stanziale...
" for her 2009 Sticky & Sweet TourSticky & Sweet TourThe Sticky & Sweet Tour was the eighth worldwide concert tour by American singer Madonna to promote her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy. It began in August 2008 and was Madonna's first tour from her new recording and business deal with Live Nation. The tour was announced in February 2008, with...
. - Kylie MinogueKylie MinogueKylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
blended "Mickey" with her own song "Heart Beat Rock" on her tour "KylieX2008KylieX2008KylieX2008 was the tenth concert tour by Australian singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue, in support of her tenth studio album, X . Originally announced as just a European tour, rumors of Minogue taking the tour to Australia, Asia, and America had surfaced in the international media...
" (2008). The word "Mickey" was replaced with "Minnie". - Katy PerryKaty PerryKaty Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
Sampled it in her song "Peacock"