Kitty

Kitty by Racey Hits of the 70's

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[musicman123100]

the lead singer (phil) is my uncle!

[TheRealRacey]

So you must be one of Dave's boys?

Good old uncle Phil from the Real RACEY !

[civilwheels]

I had this on smash and grab album before it was ripped off by Toni Basil,so it was always just a rip off to me,,

[TheRealRacey]

Yea! long live therealracey !

[Koldeman]

Toni Basil haters- most pop artists don't write their own songs BTW. Also, her acclaim for "Mickey" did bring attention to RACEY and surely they've been paid royalties for their contibution. This is not an uncommon thing.

[buddyeagle]

TONI BASIL KILLS RACEY WHEN SHE DID HER 1982 VERSION. BUT RACEY STILL GREAT.

[bailef100]

omg i hate this guy versoin is retarded and if u like thiz song ur a retarted beeeepppppp!!!!

[lamper2]

i think she's also in easy rider(whore) and 5 easy pieces-the restaurant-"hold it between your knees" scene as one of the girls they picked up

[chuvv]

Why would they? Toni would have paid mechanical and performance royalties to whoever published songs written by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chin (and hopefully Mike and Nicky got a cut). If she didn't, then there's be a basis for a suit. People have hits with covers all the time, and it's (generally) good for the original writers.

I remember in the mid-90s when Break My Stride was a big dance hit, hearing that the original writer Matthew Wilder was actually pulled out of bankrupcy by it. :)

[gymnastix]

This video of "Kitty" obviously wasn't recorded at the time Racey had a hit with this song. When and where was this live version recorded?

[gymnastix]

By the way, to all you folks here who've got your knickers in a twist that Toni Basil got all the glory for her version of this song instead of Racey, Racey had a hit record too, so made some serious dough from it.

Also, Racey didn't write this song, it was written by the well-known bubblegum team of Chinn & Chapman (the latter, Mike Chapman, who also produced some of Blondie's best work), who themselves gave it to Basil with an instinct she could do something with it--and boy did she!

[gymnastix]

I think someday, along with Gene Kelly, Bob Fosse, Twyla Tharp and a few others, Toni Basil will at least be remembered as much for her contributions to dance in pop culture as much as for "Mickey."

She did the choreography for Talking Heads' "Once In A lifetime" video too--there's another credit on her resume.

[gymnastix]

Even her version of "Mickey" was recorded in 1979, three years before it became an actual hit. You are correct that Basil's more visually appealing than Racey, but to only acknowledge Basil's looks is to minimize her multi-faceted talents.

The Spice Girls were eye candy. Toni Basil is a creative force of nature.

[gymnastix]

Basil did all that before she ever recorded her version of "Kitty," to which she added the cheer intro and re-titled "Mickey" as a tribute to her youthful crush on Monkee Micky Dolenz, whom she met while choreographing the aforementioned Monkees film.

I think I even caught Basil in a cameo on an old episode of "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" recently. Like Terri Garr (also a dancer-actor), Basil's been around awhile, did a lot before she ever got top billing.