Retrospective Review #1: Mickey By Toni Basil - One Of The Reasons MTV Took Off?

Hello everyone, and welcome to the very first Retrospective Review, where we take a look at songs that were mega popular and determine if they stand the test of time or not. The song could've come from a one hit wonder who dropped off the face of the earth or it could've come from a mega successful star that went on to become an icon. It could come from decades ago or a few years ago. I really do not judge here.

I thought the best way to start off this new category of reviews was to open up the can of worms that was the 1980s. The Cold War was winding down, sports cars all had pop-up headlights and music was becoming more light-hearted and air-headed. One hit wonders were prolific in the 80s, and this was mainly due to the rise of MTV, and the popularization of the music video. I thought I'd cover one of those early music videos to start off Retrospective Reviews. The question was: which one? There was Video Killed The Radio Star by The Buggles and Take On Me by A-Ha, but I decided that the best one to start off this segment would by Mickey by Toni Basil.

For those of you that grew up in the 2000s and 2010s, you probably don't even know who Toni Basil is. But, trust me, if you've ever listened to a playlist of 80s hits on Spotify (or had a mother who grew up in the 1980s, like me), you have probably heard this song. I had never really paid much attention to this song, in all the years it was nothing more than background noise in my brain.

But, last Saturday, I was out with a few of my friends at Babylon (a bar/club in Sandton), and this song started playing. As I said before, I had never really cared about this song before, and barely paid any attention to it (ever), but I still knew all the words to Mickey, and so did all the other people that were there that night. The song is a major ear worm. It is so catchy, it puts flu to shame.

Unfortunately, its catchiness is also why I personally find the song annoying after a few listens. The lyrics are so simplistic you'd swear Toni Basil went slightly brain dead, and could only incessantly chant "Oh, Mickey, you're so fine. You're so fine, you blow my mind. Hey Mickey." for 80% of the song. Unfortunately, that is the hook of the song, and it blows my mind that something this annoying could be such a hit.

Another reason this song took off (and yes, I am now coming to it) is because of the music video. Please remember, back in 1981, music videos were still a relatively new art form, and anything weird or novel enough to stand out immediately became popular. From Take On Me's weird blend of live action and pencil drawings to Video Killed The Radio Star's weird mad scientist themed romp, anything went back in the early days of MTV. In the case of Mickey, Toni Basil dressed up in a cheerleader outfit and performed several well choreographed dance moves that weren't unlike moves performed by cheerleaders in American high schools.

What I find baffling most about this song is that people often rank it in their greatest of all time category, and I just don't see it. The only thing going for Mickey is the catchiness of the chorus and the music video, and I just don't see why this song appealed to people in the 1980s. For me, the song gets more and more annoying and less and less good the more I hear it. I don't know, I guess cheerleaders aren't much of a kink, in my books.