Mickey (song)

"Kitty"
Song by Racey from the album Smash and Grab
Released	1981
Recorded	1979
Genre	Bubblegum pop
Writer	Mike Chapman, Nicky Chinn
Producer	Mike Chapman

"Mickey"
Single by Toni Basil
from the album Word of Mouth
Released	February 5, 1981
Recorded	1979
Genre	Bubblegum pop, New Wave
Length	4:12 (album) 3:36 (single)
Label	Chrysalis (U.S.) Radial Choice (U.K.) Virgin (Canada)
Writer(s)	Mike Chapman, Nicky Chinn
Producer	Mike Chapman
Toni Basil singles chronology
"Breakaway" (1966) "Mickey" (1982) "Nobody" (1982)

"Mickey" is a 1981 U.S. pop song recorded by singer and choreographer Toni Basil on her debut album Word of Mouth. Written by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn as "Kitty", it was first recorded by UK popular music group Racey during 1979 appearing on their debut album Smash and Grab.

Toni Basil changed the name from Kitty to Mickey to make the song about a man. For years, it had been rumoured that the name was changed to Mickey because Basil was fond of The Monkees' lead singer Micky Dolenz after meeting him on the set of their movie Head as a choreographer; however, this claim has been disputed by Basil, who said she didn't know Dolenz that well. 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 was named #5 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of All Time, #16 on 20 to 1's 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.

Charts and certifications

Chart positions

Chart (1982–1983)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	39
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	1
Germany (Media Control AG)	69
Ireland (IRMA)	3
Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)	39
New Zealand (RIANZ)	2
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)	2
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	1
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	3

Sales and certifications

Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)	2× Platinum	200,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)	Gold	500,000^
United States (RIAA)	Platinum	2,000,000^
*sales figures based on certification alone ^shipments figures based on certification alone xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Preceded by "I Love Rock 'n Roll" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts	Australian Kent Music Report number-one single (Toni Basil version) June 7, 1982 – June 14, 1982	Succeeded by "I've Never Been to Me" by Charlene
Preceded by "Truly" by Lionel Richie	Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Toni Basil version) December 11, 1982	Succeeded by "Maneater" by Daryl Hall and John Oates
Preceded by "Truly" by Lionel Richie	Canadian RPM Singles Chart number-one single (Toni Basil version) December 25, 1982 – January 15, 1983	Succeeded by "Pass the Dutchie" by Musical Youth

Track listings

U.S. 7" single

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

International 7" single

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

U.S. 12" single

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

Alternate U.S. 12" single

1. "Mickey" (Special Club Mix) – 5:58
2. "Mickey" (Spanish Version) – 5:12

Lolly version

"Mickey"
Single by Lolly
from the album My First Album
Released	September 17, 1999
Recorded	1998
Genre	Dance-pop
Length	3:36 (album version) 3:20 (edit)
Label	Polydor
Writer(s)	Mike Chapman, Nicky Chinn
Producer	Dufflebag Boys
Lolly singles chronology
"Viva La Radio" (1999) "Mickey" (1999) "Big Boys Don't Cry" (1999)

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.

Track listings

CD single

1. "Mickey" – 3:36
2. "Rockin' Robin" – 2:31

Charts

Chart (1999)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	4

Other notable versions

• "Weird Al" Yankovic parodied this song for his 1983 self titled debut album as "Ricky", a parody of and tribute to I Love Lucy.
• Irish 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 was used for the film Bring It On.
• Swedish popular music singer Carola Häggkvist had a success in Scandinavia with a Swedish language version of "Mickey" during 1983, with lyrics written by Ingela "Pling" Forsman.
• Japanese comedian-musician Gorie scored #1 on the Japanese singles chart for two weeks with a version featuring vocals by American-born Jasmine Ann Allen.
• In 2009, the American punk rock band Zebrahead covered it on their album Panty Raid.
• In 2010, the South Korean girl group Girls' Generation released a reworked version "Cooky" to promote the LG Cyon Cooky mobile phone.
• In 2011, the song was parodied as "Moshi" for commercials advertising the website Moshi Monsters.
• In 2012, Olivia Newton-John recorded the song for the soundtrack to her motion picture A Few Best Men. The song was the first single released from the album on January 9, 2012.

Songs which sample the Toni Basil recording

• Heidi Montag 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 Paradise.
• Limp Bizkit sampled the chorus in "Nookie" [Androids Vs. Las Putas Remix] on their New Old Songs album.
• The starting chorus of the original song was sampled by electronic duo Boards Of Canada in the track "Nine-Rubber Wisdom" on Old Tunes Vol. 2.
• Madonna sampled part of the chorus for "Dress You Up" for her 2009 Sticky & Sweet Tour.
• Kylie Minogue blended "Mickey" with her own song "Heart Beat Rock" on her KylieX2008 tour. The word "Mickey" was replaced with "Minnie".
• Katy Perry sampled it in her song "Peacock".

In popular culture

• San Francisco Giants infielder Miguel Tejada uses this as his walk up music.
• In the film Wayne's World the song is sung by Tia Carrera and Mike Myers.
• 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.
• The song is sung in a short scene on the American sitcom Friends, in the episode "The One Where They're Up All Night".
• This song is sung in the show Napoleon Dynamite with the name "Rico" replacing "Mickey".
• This song has been used twice in the animated American sitcom, King of the Hill: Kahn dances to it at the opening of "Three Days at the Kahn-do" and it is used during a montage for "The Powder Puff Boys".
• This song is featured in the 2012 video game Lollipop Chainsaw: It is played when Juliet, the player character, enters a temporary powered-up state. It is also unlockable as a background song.
• The song is featured as part of the Riff-Off sequence of scenes in the 2012 film Pitch Perfect.