Toni Basil - Word of Mouth
#192
May 22 1981
Toni Basil
Word of Mouth
Genre: New Wave
4.5 out of 5
Highlights:
Nobody
Little Red Book
Mickey
Hangin’ Around
In the early 80s I remember seeing Easy Rider and marveling that Toni Basil was in it. Hadn’t she arrived, fully formed, out of the blue, an overnight sensation with “Mickey”? No. Toni had been kicking around, singing, dancing, choreographing, acting for a couple decades.
And then, boom, that hit.
That massive massive hit.
Which, you probably know, was written by the team of China and Chapman.
But, did you know that the song was written for a British Power Pop group called Racey? That the song was called “Kitty”?
No, you didn’t, huh?
Should we consider her number one hit a “Requisite 80s cover”?
Nah.
Cuz there’s also her cover of the Bacharach/David “Little Red Book” wherein it’s turned into classic 80s New Wave pop.
And The Gerry Casale/Devo joint, “Be Stiff” which goes with the Mark Mothersbaugh “You Gotta Problem”, which goes with the Casale, “Space Girls” all of which answers the question of, “What would DEVO have sounded like if fronted by a woman? Umm..great?
Now…let’s talk about “Mickey”. Am I reading this wrong? “Now when you take me by the, who's ever gonna know
Every time you move, I let a little more show
There's something you can use, so don't say no, Mickey
So come on and give it to me anyway you can
Anyway you want to do it, I'll take it like a man”
Is she singing what I think she’s singing?
You go, Toni.
And people were up in arms about WAP.
Toni’s going for Blondie’s New Wave title on this record and she hits it out of the park.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lteaYPb3L8k
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