Toni Basil - Mickey single

Toni Basil was pushing 40 when she dressed as a teenage cheerleader for Mickey in 1982, yet she pulled it off stylishly and created an image and track that will remain a pop classic forever. 

Her career as a dancer and choreographer had started as a cheerleader at high school. She featured in the 1964 beach party film Pajama Party, starring Annette Funicello, and she also appeared in the Elvis Presley movie Viva Las Vegas.

Among other notable achievements, she co-directed with David Byrne the music video for Once In A Lifetime by Talking Heads and conceived the moves for David Bowie’s Diamond Dogs Tour in 1974.

Singing had been an occasional hobby until she heard a track by Brit bubblegum band Racey called Kitty and recognised the inherent cheerleading potential contained within.

Changing the title to Mickey, she kept the basis of the song but threw in a chant that allowed full exploitation of the pom-pom art, and “oh Mickey, you’re so fine, you’re so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey!” became one of the pop soundbites of 1982, when it peaked at No.2 in the UK. It ended up as the 21st bestselling single of the year and was awarded a gold disc.

It got to No.1 in the US and was aided by an MTV-friendly video (directed, produced and choreographed by Basil herself), which featured the singer cavorting expertly in the cheerleading uniform she’d worn in high school.

A follow-up called Nobody missed the Top 40 and she released just two albums in total (Word Of Mouth and a self-titled LP in 1983), before concentrating again on choreographing others.

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Read More: The Top Songs Of 1982