“Mickey” Is The “It Girl” of Pop Chants
Toni Basil was a one-hit-wonder dominating the charts for 27 weeks with “Mickey.”
Cover of “Mickey.” Photo obtained from Vulture | Photo Credit: Chrysalis
Do you have songs that you solely attach to movies? I do. I can’t listen to “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton without thinking of the car scene in the 2004 film “White Chicks” the same is with “All-Star” by Smash Mouth as the opening scene of the 2001 film “Shrek.” But let’s not forget “Mickey” by B*Witched in the blooper reel and end credit scene of the 2000 cheerleading film “Bring It On.” But let’s give credit where it’s due. This cheer anthem was a cover of Toni Basil’s “Mickey.” A song that Basil dropped and we never really heard from her again, well at least in the music world.
In an interview with Los Angeles Magazine, she says, “The ‘Mickey’ video is in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the song has lasted like an anthem. My blood does not curdle when I hear one-hit-wonder. It really doesn’t.” How could it not? Despite being released in September 1982 in her debut album “Word Of Mouth,” the song peaked three months later topping the Billboard charts and going #1 in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. The album was nominated for Best Video Album for the 26th Annual Grammy Awards (she did not win).
Two years later, Basil released her self-titled album “Toni Basil” marking the end of her music career. Out of the three songs that Basil hit the charts for, “Mickey” was the only one with 27 weeks on the Billboard charts - the other two were “Over My Head” from her self-titled album and “Shoppin’ From A To Z” from “Word Of Mouth.” “Mickey” was then installed in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as one of the groundbreaking singles of the ’80s.
Basil then pivoted her focus to choreography. Her IMDb is packed with her choreography for films like “American Graffiti” (1973) and “Once Upon a Time In Hollywood” (2019). 1988 was the start of her Emmy nominations with the Outstanding Achievement in Choreography in “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” on CBS. Let’s not stop there. She choreographed and co-directed concerts for David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Bette Midler, and Tina Turner… among other icons.
But back to “Mickey.” What was it about this song that made it so popular? There’s a reason why it was the first song in the “Ladies of the ’80s” riff-off category in the 2012 a capella classic film “Pitch Perfect.” It shifted the sound of music in the 80s, with the different stylings of guitar riffs, synthesizers, and of course, the use of cheer. The early ’80s introduced new outlets for music. MTV made its debut in 1981 bringing more recognition to different music styles and indie bands, succeeding in getting consumers to buy their records. After a year, MTV tripled its subscriber base from 3 million to 9 million, according to Rolling Stone. The music video also helped with its popularity which according to K104.7, played in heavy rotation. It’s very cheer-esque. Basil, who was 39 at the time, went all out with not only wearing a high school cheerleading uniform but performing a cheer sequence - a sequence she choreographed herself. It can be seen as an ode to her youth - she was the head cheerleader of Las Vegas High, according to VICE.
However, we can’t talk about “Mickey” without mentioning that it was ALSO a cover. The original version was “Kitty” by Racey. Continuing with the same drum beat and guitar riffs the notable differences are the added chant of “Hey Mickey, you’re so fine” (which was Basil's idea) and the song’s perspective from a man's to a woman's. And boom, we have a hit!
In a review by Stewart Mason for AllMusic, he says, “One of the most gloriously gimmicky hits of the '80s, there is nothing about Toni Basil's "Mickey" that is not obnoxiously, almost gleefully irritating, as if producer Mike Chapman was deliberately trying to make the single most annoying Top Ten hit ever.” Just like when writing, hooks are to capture attention and Toni Basil did that. Lyric-wise, “Mickey” is fairly simple. The first verse/hook is repeated four times and the chorus five times.
Hook:
Oh Mickey, you're so fine
You're so fine, you blow my mind, hey Mickey, hey Mickey
Oh Mickey, you're so fine
You're so fine, you blow my mind, hey Mickey, hey Mickey
Chorus:
Oh Mickey, what a pity, you don't understand
You take me by the heart when you take me by the hand
Oh, Mickey, you're so pretty, can't you understand?
It's guys like you, Mickey
Oh what you do Mickey, do Mickey
Don't break my heart, Mickey
But, the simplicity is why it works. It's what makes it memorable and when singing it, others are compelled to join sometimes. It builds stamina and camaraderie. You can’t hear the hook of the song without clapping or even stomping to the beat. It paved the way for other chants like Gwen Stefani’s 2004 single “Hollaback Girl” and Fergie’s 2006 single “Glamorous.” Stefani’s music video followed in Basil’s footsteps using a cheerleading sequence with the addition of a high school line band. The cheerleading vibe is still present today, for about 20 seconds Olivia Rodrigo does a cheerleading routine in her “good 4 u” music video.
When it comes to cheering, the goal is to bring people together. That’s why the role of cheerleaders is so important in sports. They help build rapport and shift the tone 0f the atmosphere to become more upbeat. And the same can be said for cheer-pop-like songs like “Mickey.” It’s infectious whether you like the song or not. The lyrics aren’t suggestive or profound, but when accompanied by the new stylings (well for the '80s) of “in-your-face” drums right from the beginning, a complexity arises. It’s like something lights up inside once you hear the first bang of the drum. It can be best described as a catchy anthem that will have me screaming at the top of my lungs each time.
