Toni Basil is without a doubt one of the most under appreciated figures in '80s music. I think many of the videos she choregraphed would not have been a hit without those early MTV visuals. She also shows up in so many stories by innovators of that time.
Toni is still rockin' it. Kills it on the dance floor. She has aged like fine wine. Thanks for giving her the highlight she so very much deserves. Under-rated supreme talent, for sure.
Toni is amazing, She was part of the TAMI show, she’s in “Head”, “Easy Rider”, “Five Easy Pieces”, she worked with Bowie on the “Diamond Dogs” tour, that Talking Heads video still stands out today - and that’s before the song/video for “Mickey”. We had that single in our house in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Toni is a legend and incredibly talented. Toni - I don’t know if you will ever read this - but, you are one of the greats. I’m a huge admirer of your work. All the best to you. Great video.
I'm almost 68 y/o & I STILL enjoy this song! It's just so much fun to listen to!! How could one EVER stay in a bad mood when it came on? I don't believe I could! Toni should get more credit than she has thus far!!
Greatest chant in the 80's no doubt. Can't believe she didn't make a ton of money on a project that had so much of her personal touch put into it. Sounds like it doesn't matter if she's still dancing everyday. You rock Toni! And you're still gorgeous!! All love and all the best to you!
Toni has flown under the radar most of her life. I loved her as a judge on "So you think you can dance" competition show. I learned a little about her then, but much more today. Thanks for honoring her in her lifetime. 🎉
What a storied and fantastic career Toni Basil had! I had no idea she was behind and part of so many great things. This is one of the most fun videos ever, everyone was singing this when it came out. I remember the girls doing Toni's moves while singing it. Great story and what an amazing lady!!
I remember seeing Toni as a member of the Lockers dance troupe. They were on various shows during the 70's and if we found out ahead of time, my dad and I would make sure we watched them. They were such a unique show in the mid-late seventies. Mickey was a fun song. I remember this one guy I worked with at a record store that when Mickey would come on and he would do the arm movements from the video. This guy was well over 6" tall and well built and it was hilarious to watch him.
I'm so glad Toni was rebellious and had a good sense about the chant in the song... it really anchors it in our minds and tens of thousands of cheer routines around the world! The woman knew her way around a song! Think of all the choreography and dance she's done over the years. She knew what would work and by gum, it did!
It was utterly impossible to be a highschooler in the '80s and not know this song. Every Cheerleader at every HS in America performed this at countless pep rallies across the country. It was synonymous with being in school back then.
She blew my mind during the pandemic when she was dancing to the song and singing in her uniform! Thank you for telling her story! I knew she was a famous choriographer - but the rest? WOW!
Her dance moves in that vid are now iconic. She married extreme skill and humour in the choreography. Her time with the avant gaurd harlem dance troupe is very evident. Nothing like it before or since.
Loved this! Doctor Who used the chant when introducing The Master as the Mistress, Missy. I laughed my head off when the Mistress started the chant, “Oh Missy you’re so fine, you’re so fine, you blow my mind! Hey Missy.” What a great iconic song!
I never heard of Toni Basil BEFORE this song. I apparently saw her in movies, but didn't realize that was her. Thanks to radio airplay, heavy rotation on MTV, and that infectious chant, now we can't stop hearing Mickey in our heads. Just listen to a few seconds of the stomp-clap section of the song, and your mind will do the rest!
I graduated Vegas High in 83. When that video came out we heard that she went there. We assumed maybe a few years ago. So we went to the library to look for her in the year books. We could not find her. Now I know it was in the late 60s. Who would have thought. Go Wildcats!
In the sixth grade, four of my friends and I made up a dance routine to “Mickey” using pompoms, and we performed it at our town’s Founders Day. One of my favorite childhood memories ever!
One of the iconic songs of the 80s Thanks for sharing the story of Toni I would never have known otherwise It’s sad that she’s only made about $5,000 from it It’s a lesson to always stand up for yourself and what’s rightly yours!
And she still made a good life for herself. Life can screw you over. Winners never quit. She can always point to this video and say "i made that." Money isn't everything, she will live forever from this one song/music video.
Wow, I had no idea about any of this! What an accomplished life she's had. I'm happy for all her success, but it's a crime that she made so little on such an iconic song that she will always be remembered for.
Love the content-I am 64 and really appreciate the in-depth insight into the songs and artists of my youth--my friends consider me a walking rock and roll facts machine but I know nothing compared to you--thanks again for all the great content.
Thanks Professor, I've been trying like hell since 1982 to get this song out of my head and just about had it gone........but thanks to YOU! it's back in there now
When I think of all the one-hit-wonders of the 1980's, Toni Basil's "Mickey" is definitely one of the first songs that comes to mind. Her music video playing a cheerleader is also very memorable. "Ricky" is my favorite Weird Al parody.
It's my understanding that Toni Basil had been fighting for the rights to that song for about 40 years. I remember reading a few years ago that she was successful and she now owns her song.
This song is a definite memory from my teenage years. When this song came on MTV it was an infectious sound that you just could not turn it off. I was starting high school in my freshman year. As a football player you had cheerleaders on the sidelines but what I did not realize then was that cheerleaders also had competitions. So our football team in solidarity supported the cheerleaders in their endeavors of obtaining a championship. When this song came out every cheerleader team had it in their routines. It was amazing to see how the influence of MTV reached so far and fast in that time. This song is definitely an 80's staple with wonderful memories and truly a moment of the era.
I didn't realize Toni Basil had had such a long and prolific career before "Mickey". I remember hearing at the time the song came out that she had been a choreographer for David Bowie among others, but I didn't know she had been in movies and had actually done a song as far back as the 1960s. I remember Racey from when I was a child in England but I only learned their song "Kitty" when "Mickey" came out. And "Mickey" is one of those "earworms" of a song - from the time I saw the thumbnail for this video that chant has been playing in my head again for the first time in years! Of course you can't forget Weird Al's cover either!
When Toni Basil's "Mickey"came out I thought for sure It was another hit by the Go-Go's from their Beauty and the Beat LP which came out five months earlier until I saw the video. 😂
What a wonderful reminder of a fun song! I'm happy to know that Toni Basil was a successful choreographer. I never knew that. Thanks for the smile on my face today, Adam!
I'm so glad you finally covered this iconic song and video. More importantly, the story of this incredibly talented woman, who has a much bigger pop culture footprint than most people realize. I saw a short video of her dancing last year and she's still fantastic. I'm in awe of her.
My daughter Mikki is always having this song sung to her & she was a cheerleader in school too! She goes through stages of both loving and hating this song!
Before you finished first sentence, I knew it was Mickey. Thank you for including Toni's Easy Rider part and the use of local high school cheerleaders. Would be easier to list what she can't do. Toni, you are amazing!
One of the greatest gems from the MTV era. One of the best MTV videos of all time!! I read that that was her actual cheerleading uni from high school....and at nearly 40 she still was able to wear it!!! Major props!!
❤ Ah yes, Toni Basil. Mickey is an earworm of a song that you either love or hate. The video is iconic! I would also group Mickey with the Safety Dance....... songs that elicit strong feelings. Thanks for this Professor! Great shirt!
I was 19 year's old and living with my then boyfriend/future husband and his family when the video first came out. My boyfriend's younger sister was in high school. She and I loved this song! Every time the video was on TV we would scream the chant and dance around the livingroom lol
I have a number of Japanese female friends named Miki, pronounced exactly the same way. Whenever I meet them or text them this song comes into my head, and one of the Miki’s I started singing it to you. She joined in instantly (with an accent) and said she had used it as her theme song in junior high. :)
Hi Richard, I've been to Japan on 28 vacations, watched Japanese TV there and elsewhere, and every time I've heard the name "Miki" it's pronounced "Meekee," not like in "Mickey."
@@shiroibasketshoes Nah, lived here for going on 25 years. It’s only pronounced “Meekee” if you exaggerate it and prolong the vowels. True, it’s not EXACTLY the short “i” sound in the first syllable as pronounced in English, but it’s close enough for those women I mentioned to break into the song if all I say is “Hey, Miki!”
@@RichardSmith-pb8qk I take your word for it about your experiences. I can believe those women are reminded of the song "Mickey" in any case. Any thoughts on why Americans commonly pronounce Tokyo and Kyoto as three syllables instead of two, and mispronounce "karaoke" and "Tamagotchi"? I admire your living in the land of apparently no leaf blowers (even though I heard they were invented in Japan). Blessings to all New Years Day quake victims!
I remember this track so well. My eldest sister played it non-stop for ages. According to my younger brother, I kept saying "Hey Mickey" in my sleep! one non-musical point. i'm epileptic, you would not believe how many people have said/claimed i was speaking in tongues when i was having a disassociative seizure!
Hello Professor! I’ve watched and enjoyed many of you song achievement journeys but this one on Mickey by Toni Basil was really a lot of fun and packed with unknown surprises! Thank you!
What an amazing career. I had no idea about the magnitude of Toni Basil’s career. A great role model in regard to working hard, being creative, challenging yourself and reaching for the stars.
Wow never realised her career is so amazing still performing at 80 odd .Definitely the best chant track of all time. Your research into this as always in impeccable. "Mickey" i remember like it was yesterday 😂
here's a fun fact about this song for you.... The drummer who plays that driving beat was RJ Parnell. He is most famous for playing drums in Spinal Tap. first as Mick Shrimpton until he exploded onstage, then as his "twin brother Rik" until he passed away last year.
Wow what a great story. I had no idea of the depth of accomplishments that Toni Basil had achieved. Loved that you pointed out she was ahead of the times. Please do more on women and their contributions to music! Thanks for doing this!
I remember seeing some kind of Disney special in 1985 where they took popular songs and made them into music videos using clips from Disney animated shorts and movies, calling it "DTV", their version of MTV. And when they used the song "Mickey" for one of their videos, it only takes one guess on what character they made the song about. 🐭
I absolutely love Toni Basil! Have for a very long time. I'm so glad you got that short clip of her dancing on Soul Train with The Lockers, I was worried you'd leave that part of her career out. She was part of the birth of MTV and music videos, like you said, but she was also part of the birth of breakdancing!
I was aware of most of the story behind this song, and have always loved it, but I had no idea how little she recieved for it. Just goes to prove how doing the right thing is so infrequently encountered in the music business...
Thanks for this, and all of the rest of your incredible videos, Professor of Rock! I am an older (55) American music fan who ran into your channel a couple of weeks ago. I thought I was well-versed in rock and pop music and am severely humbled. I've watched several episodes now and have had so much fun learning. I feel like a kid again and it is refreshing. I especially like it when you interview the artists. This one was so cool. I had no idea about Toni Basil and how greatly talented she was/is. She made the iconic Talking Heads "Once in a Lifetime" video? Wow, just wow. And so many other amazing facts about her. It is always saddening to hear when artists are stiffed in royalties, but hopefully, she is doing well. I hadn't heard this song in a long time, and when I heard it, it made me think of the band that played in the last scene at the dance in Valley Girl. I think she must have influenced that also. Thanks again, Professor. Love your work.
This was an amazing history behind Toni Basil and the song Mickey. I wad 12 years old when this song was released and thought it was about Mickey Mouse. Another artist who was a cheer leader in high school was Madonna.
One of the best songs and music videos ever💗💗 The album Word of Mouth is definitely worth exploring for the Devo connection alone (covers of three Devo songs are on it). It was conceived as an art piece and still works I reckon, though the album wielded no more hit singles. Great style, a real character, Miss Toni Basil
Growing up on MTV, Toni was an icon to me. Thank you for this video because I have so much more respect for her as she kept her life quiet and private.
As a youngster, I loved the chant. And the cheerleading, whats not to like? It's a very very catchy chant/tune !! Thanks for making it Toni. I was today years old when I found out how old she was when she made this, AMAZING !!
I am a 100 percent male who stills feel the need to start dancing everytime this song starts on classic rock and pop stations. It is a great song. Also, have you seen any of those pics from 2019, and even more recently, wow, Toni is the hottest 80 year on the planet.
My favorite Toni Basil moment is her choreography in " The T.A.M.I. Show " where she and Terri Garr dance behind Chuck Berry, the Beach Boys, the Supremes and many other rock icons.
The chant is central to the crazy infectiousness of the whole song. The entire song is pumped ujp with that cheerleading energy and it makes you want to get up and cheer. Go Mickey!
Growing up I hated this song, because everyone sang it to me lol! Family and close friends have always called me Mickey, or Mick. I grew to love it though!! Thanks Prof for bringing back memories! ✌🏻❤️🇨🇦
Music Connection magazine in LA published part of Toni's hand-drawn, stick figure storyboards for the Mickey video! She totally controlled everything about that video and it deserves its work of art status!
Toni Basil is *HARD CORE.* That explains why Once In a Lifetime is such an awesome video. What is funny is that I used to live in craptacular Carson, CA and the cheerleaders in Mickey were Carson Colts.
I remember seeing Toni on the Carol Burnette show, it was around 1972, and Carol introduced an LA dance troupe led by Toni. Their dance was mesmerizing.
I knew this one from the opening. A great lady. It is sad that all her work for the song brought so little. The music industry is like that even today.
In the mid 80's one of my friends had a record of one hit wonders with Hey Mickey! on it. Whenever that chant started we would all stop what we were doing and sing along. How could you not? It was the greatest thing ever.
Poll: What is your pick for the coolest one hit wonder of the rock era?
Funkytown Lipps Inc
Gun to my head I would say “19” by Paul Hardcastle
Deee-Lite "Groove Is In The Heart"
Norman Greenbaum- Spirit In The Sky
My Sharona
Toni Basil is without a doubt one of the most under appreciated figures in '80s music. I think many of the videos she choregraphed would not have been a hit without those early MTV visuals. She also shows up in so many stories by innovators of that time.
Toni is still rockin' it. Kills it on the dance floor. She has aged like fine wine. Thanks for giving her the highlight she so very much deserves. Under-rated supreme talent, for sure.
I hope I can look as good as she when I'm her age.
Best looking 39 year old I have ever seen! I thought back in the day she was 25.........
I was a cheerleader 1981-1983 and we rocked to “Mickey” nearly every practice an pre-game warm up! Toni was our inspiration ❤❤❤
Like Ken said to Barbie: So Cool!
I was a cheer leader too! So every time this song came on I would do the cheer routine😃.
Toni is amazing,
She was part of the TAMI show, she’s in “Head”, “Easy Rider”, “Five Easy Pieces”, she worked with Bowie on the “Diamond Dogs” tour, that Talking Heads video still stands out today - and that’s before the song/video for “Mickey”. We had that single in our house in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Toni is a legend and incredibly talented.
Toni - I don’t know if you will ever read this - but, you are one of the greats. I’m a huge admirer of your work.
All the best to you.
Great video.
I can imagine the flings she had
This song is absolutely iconic. A true representation of the 80’s. Everyone, and I mean absolutely EVERYONE from this generation knows this song.
Love it, or hate it! Everyone knows it! That’s what they say about publicity, there is none that is bad!!
Yep, we used to dance our asses off to it in college! 💃🏻
I'm almost 68 y/o & I STILL enjoy this song! It's just so much fun to listen to!! How could one EVER stay in a bad mood when it came on? I don't believe I could! Toni should get more credit than she has thus far!!
Greatest chant in the 80's no doubt. Can't believe she didn't make a ton of money on a project that had so much of her personal touch put into it. Sounds like it doesn't matter if she's still dancing everyday. You rock Toni! And you're still gorgeous!! All love and all the best to you!
Toni has flown under the radar most of her life. I loved her as a judge on "So you think you can dance" competition show. I learned a little about her then, but much more today. Thanks for honoring her in her lifetime. 🎉
Thanks for watching.
I was fascinated to learn that she was one of the early break dancers -- she appeared on Soul Train at that time!
I was a rocker. Still am. I would never have admitted it back in the day. But now lDGAF. I always liked this song.
What a storied and fantastic career Toni Basil had! I had no idea she was behind and part of so many great things. This is one of the most fun videos ever, everyone was singing this when it came out. I remember the girls doing Toni's moves while singing it. Great story and what an amazing lady!!
Thanks My Name! I agree! Such a cool story. What would you like to see next?
I used to be a cheerleader and this music video takes me back to my cheerleading days.
only 80s song i hate, hated and will hate
@@commentfreely5443Extremely cheesy, yes! But impossible for me to to hate! And she was a very cute 40 year old cheerleader!
Agree 💯
I remember seeing Toni as a member of the Lockers dance troupe. They were on various shows during the 70's and if we found out ahead of time, my dad and I would make sure we watched them. They were such a unique show in the mid-late seventies. Mickey was a fun song. I remember this one guy I worked with at a record store that when Mickey would come on and he would do the arm movements from the video. This guy was well over 6" tall and well built and it was hilarious to watch him.
Thanks for sharing. Great memories!
I had forgotten she was in The Lockers! TY!🤠
I would love to have seen that. Sounds like such a strong guy!
Toni is Pop Art. She is iconic.
I'm so glad Toni was rebellious and had a good sense about the chant in the song... it really anchors it in our minds and tens of thousands of cheer routines around the world! The woman knew her way around a song! Think of all the choreography and dance she's done over the years. She knew what would work and by gum, it did!
It was utterly impossible to be a highschooler in the '80s and not know this song. Every Cheerleader at every HS in America performed this at countless pep rallies across the country. It was synonymous with being in school back then.
She blew my mind during the pandemic when she was dancing to the song and singing in her uniform! Thank you for telling her story! I knew she was a famous choriographer - but the rest? WOW!
Her dance moves in that vid are now iconic. She married extreme skill and humour in the choreography. Her time with the avant gaurd harlem dance troupe is very evident. Nothing like it before or since.
Glad she kept the chant! That's what put the song into the stratosphere, making it an infectious earworm.
Very honored to know her ..shes witnessed so many iconic moments in dance and in music ..truly an icon
For sure.
I’m glad she is still with us.
Loved this! Doctor Who used the chant when introducing The Master as the Mistress, Missy. I laughed my head off when the Mistress started the chant, “Oh Missy you’re so fine, you’re so fine, you blow my mind! Hey Missy.” What a great iconic song!
Glad you enjoyed it!
So did I. My kids asked what was so funny. Then introduced them to Hey Mickey
I was going to mention this as well, but you beat me to it!
I never heard of Toni Basil BEFORE this song. I apparently saw her in movies, but didn't realize that was her. Thanks to radio airplay, heavy rotation on MTV, and that infectious chant, now we can't stop hearing Mickey in our heads. Just listen to a few seconds of the stomp-clap section of the song, and your mind will do the rest!
THanks!
The rhythm is undeniable.
Toni has been living the way she wanted to be by dancing while enjoying every minute of it.
It's crazy how many iconic things she was involved in and I had no idea!
She really was something!
She had a storied career!
I graduated Vegas High in 83. When that video came out we heard that she went there. We assumed maybe a few years ago. So we went to the library to look for her in the year books. We could not find her. Now I know it was in the late 60s. Who would have thought. Go Wildcats!
In the sixth grade, four of my friends and I made up a dance routine to “Mickey” using pompoms, and we performed it at our town’s Founders Day. One of my favorite childhood memories ever!
That's so cool. Thanks for sharing.
I love this!
One of the iconic songs of the 80s
Thanks for sharing the story of Toni
I would never have known otherwise
It’s sad that she’s only made about $5,000 from it
It’s a lesson to always stand up for yourself and what’s rightly yours!
Right?
She deserved so much better.
And she still made a good life for herself. Life can screw you over. Winners never quit. She can always point to this video and say "i made that." Money isn't everything, she will live forever from this one song/music video.
Great to know that she wasn’t just a one hit wonder. An amazing and talented lady.
Wow, I had no idea about any of this! What an accomplished life she's had. I'm happy for all her success, but it's a crime that she made so little on such an iconic song that she will always be remembered for.
Right? She deserved better.
That is a shameful amount of money.
I honestly had no idea Toni had such a wide & varied career. Very cool.
Love the content-I am 64 and really appreciate the in-depth insight into the songs and artists of my youth--my friends consider me a walking rock and roll facts machine but I know nothing compared to you--thanks again for all the great content.
Thanks for watching! What else would you like to see?
Thanks Professor, I've been trying like hell since 1982 to get this song out of my head and just about had it gone........but thanks to YOU! it's back in there now
When I think of all the one-hit-wonders of the 1980's, Toni Basil's "Mickey" is definitely one of the first songs that comes to mind. Her music video playing a cheerleader is also very memorable. "Ricky" is my favorite Weird Al parody.
I agree on both accounts. Love Al's version!
It’s one of the most iconic one hit wonders. That video was everywhere.
Hey cool! I don't know that Weird Al parody
I was just gonna suggest a few more artists of the female persuasion! Absolutely love Toni Basil. What a larger than life personality.
What a fun episode. One of the many great one hit wonders of the 80s. Tony is truly amazing.
It's my understanding that Toni Basil had been fighting for the rights to that song for about 40 years. I remember reading a few years ago that she was successful and she now owns her song.
Good. She should own the rights to it.
This song is a definite memory from my teenage years. When this song came on MTV it was an infectious sound that you just could not turn it off. I was starting high school in my freshman year. As a football player you had cheerleaders on the sidelines but what I did not realize then was that cheerleaders also had competitions. So our football team in solidarity supported the cheerleaders in their endeavors of obtaining a championship. When this song came out every cheerleader team had it in their routines. It was amazing to see how the influence of MTV reached so far and fast in that time. This song is definitely an 80's staple with wonderful memories and truly a moment of the era.
@OfficialProfessorofRock_TeIegr Sure it would be honor to speak with you. Just let me know a good time to make this conversation happen.
I didn't realize Toni Basil had had such a long and prolific career before "Mickey". I remember hearing at the time the song came out that she had been a choreographer for David Bowie among others, but I didn't know she had been in movies and had actually done a song as far back as the 1960s. I remember Racey from when I was a child in England but I only learned their song "Kitty" when "Mickey" came out. And "Mickey" is one of those "earworms" of a song - from the time I saw the thumbnail for this video that chant has been playing in my head again for the first time in years! Of course you can't forget Weird Al's cover either!
When Toni Basil's "Mickey"came out I thought for sure It was another hit by the Go-Go's from their Beauty and the Beat LP which came out five months earlier until I saw the video. 😂
What a wonderful reminder of a fun song! I'm happy to know that Toni Basil was a successful choreographer. I never knew that. Thanks for the smile on my face today, Adam!
I'm so glad you finally covered this iconic song and video. More importantly, the story of this incredibly talented woman, who has a much bigger pop culture footprint than most people realize.
I saw a short video of her dancing last year and she's still fantastic. I'm in awe of her.
My daughter Mikki is always having this song sung to her & she was a cheerleader in school too! She goes through stages of both loving and hating this song!
Hard to imagine that Toni's 80 now, these iconic people and images from our youth seem to never age in our minds.
Even I danced to this song and I was a metalhead. You just couldn't help it.
Me too. And Come On Eileen
Like "Mony Mony"
I mean, who doesn’t clap along to this song?
Toni Basil is a BADASS!!!❤💯🤙🏼🦋
Indeed!
Before you finished first sentence, I knew it was Mickey. Thank you for including Toni's Easy Rider part and the use of local high school cheerleaders. Would be easier to list what she can't do. Toni, you are amazing!
Thanks for watching!
@@ProfessorofRock It's all your fault. Telling those interesting stories about the best music ever. Who wouldn't be watching?
She’s a talented lady!
One of the greatest gems from the MTV era. One of the best MTV videos of all time!! I read that that was her actual cheerleading uni from high school....and at nearly 40 she still was able to wear it!!! Major props!!
Dance can do that for you!
❤
Ah yes, Toni Basil.
Mickey is an earworm of a song that you either love or hate. The video is iconic!
I would also group Mickey with the Safety Dance....... songs that elicit strong feelings.
Thanks for this Professor! Great shirt!
Hey Roger!
Both new wave classics!
I loved Safety Dance primarily because I was the free safety on our football team. 😂
I was 19 year's old and living with my then boyfriend/future husband and his family when the video first came out. My boyfriend's younger sister was in high school. She and I loved this song! Every time the video was on TV we would scream the chant and dance around the livingroom lol
I have a number of Japanese female friends named Miki, pronounced exactly the same way. Whenever I meet them or text them this song comes into my head, and one of the Miki’s I started singing it to you. She joined in instantly (with an accent) and said she had used it as her theme song in junior high. :)
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Richard, I've been to Japan on 28 vacations, watched Japanese TV there and elsewhere, and every time I've heard the name "Miki" it's pronounced "Meekee," not like in "Mickey."
@@shiroibasketshoes Nah, lived here for going on 25 years. It’s only pronounced “Meekee” if you exaggerate it and prolong the vowels. True, it’s not EXACTLY the short “i” sound in the first syllable as pronounced in English, but it’s close enough for those women I mentioned to break into the song if all I say is “Hey, Miki!”
@@RichardSmith-pb8qk I take your word for it about your experiences. I can believe those women are reminded of the song "Mickey" in any case. Any thoughts on why Americans commonly pronounce Tokyo and Kyoto as three syllables instead of two, and mispronounce "karaoke" and "Tamagotchi"? I admire your living in the land of apparently no leaf blowers (even though I heard they were invented in Japan). Blessings to all New Years Day quake victims!
I love this!
I remember this track so well. My eldest sister played it non-stop for ages. According to my younger brother, I kept saying "Hey Mickey" in my sleep!
one non-musical point.
i'm epileptic, you would not believe how many people have said/claimed i was speaking in tongues when i was having a disassociative seizure!
I loved this album when I was a kid. She is nothing short of awesome.
What a fantastic and extremely gifted dancer. A lot of hard work goes into becoming a dancer of that caliber.
Hello Professor! I’ve watched and enjoyed many of you song achievement journeys but this one on Mickey by Toni Basil was really a lot of fun and packed with unknown surprises! Thank you!
What an amazing career. I had no idea about the magnitude of Toni Basil’s career. A great role model in regard to working hard, being creative, challenging yourself and reaching for the stars.
Professor, your knowledge of music and some movies is unsurpassed. Thanks for this one. Oh Micky is a Guilty Pleasure
Yes it is! Thanks for watching Jerry!
You forgot my favorite version! They did it in Thai for The Meg soundtrack, it’s freaking amazing!
Wow never realised her career is so amazing still performing at 80 odd .Definitely the best chant track of all time. Your research into this as always in impeccable. "Mickey" i remember like it was yesterday 😂
Toni Basil is a real talent. Always in awe of her
here's a fun fact about this song for you.... The drummer who plays that driving beat was RJ Parnell. He is most famous for playing drums in Spinal Tap. first as Mick Shrimpton until he exploded onstage, then as his "twin brother Rik" until he passed away last year.
Thanks for sharing that!
I never knew that!
Nearly 40 and still fit in her high school cheerleader uniform. Awesome!
Amazing career and a good dancer. Thank you for educating me about her. Now I know why you are the Professor of Rock. She really made an impact.
Thanks for watching!
Wow what a great story. I had no idea of the depth of accomplishments that Toni Basil had achieved. Loved that you pointed out she was ahead of the times. Please do more on women and their contributions to music! Thanks for doing this!
I remember seeing some kind of Disney special in 1985 where they took popular songs and made them into music videos using clips from Disney animated shorts and movies, calling it "DTV", their version of MTV. And when they used the song "Mickey" for one of their videos, it only takes one guess on what character they made the song about. 🐭
I remember DTV! Watching it all the time!
I remember watching DTV!
I absolutely love Toni Basil! Have for a very long time. I'm so glad you got that short clip of her dancing on Soul Train with The Lockers, I was worried you'd leave that part of her career out. She was part of the birth of MTV and music videos, like you said, but she was also part of the birth of breakdancing!
A couple months ago, I saw a pic being passed around on social media “Toni Basil just turned 80. Feel old yet?” 🙈
She’s still amazing.
Yes, I feel old. It seems like that song came out only a few years ago and I can't believe it was over 40 years ago!
So iconic. Such a classic. Thanks for all the amazing backstory. It really brings this delightful song up a level.
I was aware of most of the story behind this song, and have always loved it, but I had no idea how little she recieved for it. Just goes to prove how doing the right thing is so infrequently encountered in the music business...
Thanks for this, and all of the rest of your incredible videos, Professor of Rock! I am an older (55) American music fan who ran into your channel a couple of weeks ago. I thought I was well-versed in rock and pop music and am severely humbled. I've watched several episodes now and have had so much fun learning. I feel like a kid again and it is refreshing. I especially like it when you interview the artists. This one was so cool. I had no idea about Toni Basil and how greatly talented she was/is. She made the iconic Talking Heads "Once in a Lifetime" video? Wow, just wow. And so many other amazing facts about her. It is always saddening to hear when artists are stiffed in royalties, but hopefully, she is doing well. I hadn't heard this song in a long time, and when I heard it, it made me think of the band that played in the last scene at the dance in Valley Girl. I think she must have influenced that also. Thanks again, Professor. Love your work.
It's impossible to think of the 80s without thinking of this song.
Exactly!
It’s so iconic.
I had no idea she had such a full career. Amazing life! The song takes me right back to high school❤
I didn't realize the level of talent Toni Basil had.
Still has.
No kidding.
She’s done a lot!
And now this ear worm will be in my head the next 3 days. At least I love it.
Fantastic bio of Basil. What an incredible woman. Thanks.
You should have mentioned Tony Basil in your video on Born to Be Wild because she was in the film Easy Rider which used the song Born to be Wild.
That's a neat tid bit.
OK I see you have that covered. I posted the same comment. You beat me too it by 10 minutes.
Good call
I was 19 when the song came out and I danced my socks off as I hit the dance floor every time it was played. Awesome fun memories
Ah, Toni Basil and Mickey. It was the video that showed bands all over the world what they could do on MTV. Choreography with music.
A great artist and a great woman. Looking at her art, she was anything but a one hit wonder
This was an amazing history behind Toni Basil and the song Mickey. I wad 12 years old when this song was released and thought it was about Mickey Mouse.
Another artist who was a cheer leader in high school was Madonna.
THat's right! Thanks Catherine!
I thought it was about Micky Dolenz from the Monkees.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 It probably was Mickey Dolenz from the Monkees. Today's video was very informative. Adam did his research on this one.
@@catherine6653 Well then, Micky would have been very flattered.
You make such amazing videos. I knew this song, but nothing about Toni Basil. You really know how to tell a great story.
One of the best songs and music videos ever💗💗 The album Word of Mouth is definitely worth exploring for the Devo connection alone (covers of three Devo songs are on it). It was conceived as an art piece and still works I reckon, though the album wielded no more hit singles. Great style, a real character, Miss Toni Basil
Growing up on MTV, Toni was an icon to me. Thank you for this video because I have so much more respect for her as she kept her life quiet and private.
As a youngster, I loved the chant. And the cheerleading, whats not to like? It's a very very catchy chant/tune !! Thanks for making it Toni. I was today years old when I found out how old she was when she made this, AMAZING !!
That expression is today years dead.
I am a 100 percent male who stills feel the need to start dancing everytime this song starts on classic rock and pop stations. It is a great song.
Also, have you seen any of those pics from 2019, and even more recently, wow, Toni is the hottest 80 year on the planet.
My favorite Toni Basil moment is her choreography in " The T.A.M.I. Show " where she and Terri Garr dance behind Chuck Berry, the Beach Boys, the Supremes and many other rock icons.
The chant is central to the crazy infectiousness of the whole song. The entire song is pumped ujp with that cheerleading energy and it makes you want to get up and cheer. Go Mickey!
Never realized Toni was almost 40 on her 80's release! Wow!
Right?
I *believe* she holds the record (fortunate pun) on being the oldest female performer to hit number one with her first single.
She looked like she was in her 20s!
I remember when I first saw her listed in the credits Easy Rider, several years after "Mickey," and thinking, "How old *is* she?"
Now I know!
Please don't forget to mention that she is an icon Locking dancer... as a female pioneer this can't be left out.
Growing up I hated this song, because everyone sang it to me lol! Family and close friends have always called me Mickey, or Mick. I grew to love it though!! Thanks Prof for bringing back memories! ✌🏻❤️🇨🇦
Holy cow. So much more respect for her, knowing how accomplished and professional she was.
Music Connection magazine in LA published part of Toni's hand-drawn, stick figure storyboards for the Mickey video! She totally controlled everything about that video and it deserves its work of art status!
Very cool!
Because she was the choreographer!
Sixty one years old and I still try and match her dance steps...and fail miserably 😂😂😂❤❤❤
I can't believe I just recognized Toni Basil in an episode of Baywatch. It's Season 2 Episode 22.
Toni Basil is *HARD CORE.* That explains why Once In a Lifetime is such an awesome video. What is funny is that I used to live in craptacular Carson, CA and the cheerleaders in Mickey were Carson Colts.
I remember seeing Toni on the Carol Burnette show, it was around 1972, and Carol introduced an LA dance troupe led by Toni. Their dance was mesmerizing.
I knew this one from the opening. A great lady. It is sad that all her work for the song brought so little. The music industry is like that even today.
Thanks for watching!
She got screwed.
First time I remember seeing Toni Basil was in the movie " Easy Rider " .
In the Philippines, she actually had another certified mainstream hit with the single from her sophomore album, Street Beat.
Which never hit here.
Shes sooo cute. Ive gotten a new appreciation for Tony Basil. Thanks POR!👍
Very fascinating! I would like to see a video about Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Thanks
In the mid 80's one of my friends had a record of one hit wonders with Hey Mickey! on it. Whenever that chant started we would all stop what we were doing and sing along. How could you not? It was the greatest thing ever.
Very cool!
I would have joined in as well!