Toni Basil

•  Mickey.wav

Toni Basil (born Antonia Christina Basilotta on September 22, 1943 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a musician, video artist, actress, and choreographer.

Her recording career began in 1966 with a rare one-off single for A&M Records, the title song from the film Breakaway. Although she appeared three times as musical guest during the first season of Saturday Night Live in 1975–76, it wasn’t until 1982 that she released a follow-up, the international smash “Mickey”. This song is, in fact, a cover of “Kitty”, a 1979 release by UK band Racey, written by British hitmakers Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. “Mickey” itself would be covered in a parody by “Weird Al” Yankovic as “Ricky”. Furthermore, “Mickey” was actually recorded in 1979, and when her record label wanted to release the song in 1982, Basil was reluctant, believing the song already sounded “dated”. But the label persevered, and pop-music history was made.