The AWESOME! page has random music stuff that I think is cool. You never know what you will find here!
I’m always interested in One Hit Wonders. These are songs that somehow made it huge in the music world, even though the artist was obscure – and after their moment in glory, they returned to obscurity. Periodically, on the AWESOME! page, I’ll feature a One Hit Wonder that you may remember.
In the early 80’s, when MTV was catching fire, the music video for Toni Basil’s song Mickey was made the song a huge hit. VH1 ranked it as the #5 One Hit Wonder of all time. The song is a cover of the song Kitty by UK band Racey – Basil changed the name to “Mickey” to make the song about a man. In the video, Basil wears her head cheerleader outfit from Las Vegas High School. It is considered the first choreographed music video ever. The opening stunt, where a cheerleader jumps through a human pyramid, is now illegal in cheerleader competitions.
While Basil didn’t have much of a music career, she has had great success as a choreographer and in films. She acted in 20 films between 1964 and 1990, and she appeared in roles in several TV shows. She was won numerous awards in choreography, including a Lifetime Achievement Innovator award from the American Choreography Awards.
Here’s the famous video of Mickey.