This article needs additional citations for verification .(July 2009) |
Word of Mouth | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 22, 1981 | |||
Recorded | 1981 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 39:28 | |||
Label | Chrysalis (U.S.) Radial Choice (UK) | |||
Producer |
| |||
Toni Basil chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Word of Mouth | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [3] |
Christgau's Record Guide | B+ [2] |
Word of Mouth is the debut studio album by Toni Basil. It was first released in May 1981 in the United Kingdom and April 1982 in the United States. The album features the number-one worldwide hit "Mickey", as well as three covers of songs by Devo, who also performed on those three tracks ("Be Stiff", "Space Girls", which is a re-titled "Space Girl Blues", and "You Gotta Problem", which is a re-titled "Pity You"). The U.S. version of the album added the songs "Rock On" (a David Essex cover) and "Shoppin' from A to Z", deleting "Hanging Around". Word of Mouth was certified Gold by the RIAA.
The lead single "Mickey" became an international hit, earning a double platinum certification. The album, which was released shortly after, was also a success, peaking at number 22 and receiving a Gold certification. However, the following singles, "Nobody" in the UK and "Shoppin' from A to Z" in the US, both under-performed, which cut the album's success short. It also reached number 27 on the New Zealand albums chart.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Mickey" | 4:12 | |
2. | "Rock On" | David Essex | 4:04 |
3. | "Shoppin' from A to Z" | 4:08 | |
4. | "You Gotta Problem" | Mark Mothersbaugh | 4:34 |
5. | "Be Stiff" | 3:22 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Nobody" | Paul Delph | 4:00 |
2. | "Little Red Book" | 4:04 | |
3. | "Space Girls" | Casale | 2:56 |
4. | "Thief on the Loose" |
| 3:50 |
5. | "Time After Time" |
| 4:18 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Nobody" | Delph | 4:03 |
2. | "Hangin' Around" | Conway | 4:08 |
3. | "Thief on the Loose" |
| 3:54 |
4. | "Time After Time" |
| 4:23 |
5. | "Mickey" |
| 4:15 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Little Red Book" |
| 4:07 |
2. | "Be Stiff" |
| 3:24 |
3. | "Space Girls" | Casale | 3:00 |
4. | "You Gotta Problem" | Mothersbaugh | 4:36 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Mickey" |
| 4:15 |
2. | "Nobody" | Delph | 4:03 |
3. | "Hangin' Around" | Conway | 4:08 |
4. | "Thief on the Loose" |
| 3:54 |
5. | "Little Red Book" |
| 4:07 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Time After Time" |
| 4:23 |
2. | "Be Stiff" |
| 3:24 |
3. | "Space Girls" | Casale | 3:00 |
4. | "You Gotta Problem" | Mothersbaugh | 4:36 |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Devo, often stylized as DEVO, is an American new wave band from Akron, Ohio, formed in 1973. Their classic line-up consisted of two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales, along with Alan Myers. The band had a No. 14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", the song that gave the band mainstream popularity.
"Whip It" is a song by American new wave band Devo from their third studio album Freedom of Choice (1980). It is a new wave and synth-pop song that features a synthesizer, electric guitar, bass guitar, and drums in its instrumentation. The apparently nonsensical lyrics have a common theme revolving around the ability to deal with one's problems by "whipping it". Co-written by bassist Gerald Casale and lead vocalist Mark Mothersbaugh, Devo recorded "Whip It" with producer Robert Margouleff at the Record Plant in Los Angeles.
"Mickey" is a song recorded by American singer and choreographer Toni Basil for her debut studio album, Word of Mouth (1981). It was first recorded by the pop group Racey. Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn wrote the song, while production was helmed by Greg Mathieson and Trevor Veitch. Basil's version is new wave, featuring guitar, synthesizers and cheerleading chants. It garnered a mixed response from music critics, with some critics praising the radio-friendly nature of the song, while others described some of the lyrics as obscene.
New Traditionalists is the fourth studio album by the American new wave band Devo, released in 1981 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was recorded over a period of four months between December 1980 and April 1981 at the Power Station in Manhattan, New York City. It features the minor hits "Through Being Cool" and "Beautiful World".
Alan Myers was an American rock drummer whose music career spanned more than 30 years. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as the third and most prominent drummer of the new wave band Devo, replacing Jim Mothersbaugh.
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! is the debut studio album by the American new wave band Devo. It was originally released in August 1978 on Warner Bros. in the North America and Virgin Records in Europe. Produced by Brian Eno, the album was recorded between October 1977 and February 1978, primarily in Cologne, West Germany.
Duty Now for the Future is the second studio album by American rock band Devo, released in 1979 by Warner Bros. Records. Produced by Ken Scott, the album was recorded between September 1978 and early 1979 at Chateau Recorders in Hollywood. The majority of the songs on the album had been performed in Devo's live set as early as 1976.
Shout is the sixth studio album by American new wave band Devo, released on October 8, 1984 by Warner Bros. Records.
Total Devo is the seventh studio album by American new wave band Devo, released in 1988 by Enigma Records. "Disco Dancer" hit No. 45 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart for the week of September 3, 1988.
A Private Heaven is the fifth studio album by Scottish pop singer Sheena Easton, released on 21 September 1984 by EMI America Records. The album featured two US Top 10 hit singles: the lead single "Strut" and the controversial "Sugar Walls". "Swear", a third single, peaked at No. 80.
Robert Leroy Mothersbaugh, Jr., or by his stage name "Bob 1", is an American musician, singer, songwriter and composer.
Hardcore Devo: Volume One is the first of two collections of demos by the American new wave band Devo. It was originally released in 1990, on the label Rykodisc.
DEV-O Live is a live EP by American new wave band Devo. It was recorded during the Freedom of Choice tour on August 16, 1980, at the Fox Warfield Theatre in San Francisco.
"Gloria" is a 1979 love song written and composed in Italian by Umberto Tozzi and Giancarlo Bigazzi, and afterwards translated to English by Jonathan King. A 1982 cover version by American singer Laura Branigan peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Best Kept Secret is the fourth album by Scottish singer Sheena Easton. It was released in 1983 on EMI Records.
Trevor Veitch is a Canadian musician/record producer who has worked behind the scenes on many pop trends from the 1960s to the present. He is mostly known for his involvement in the popular 1960s folk rock group, 3's a Crowd. He resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Evan, and son.
Toni Basil is the second studio album by Toni Basil, released in December 1983 on Chrysalis Records. Despite the success of her previous album Word of Mouth and the single "Mickey", the album was less successful and did not enter the Billboard album chart. The first single from the album, "Over My Head", reached #81 on the Billboard Hot 100, her third and final song to do so. Of the four singles from the album, three appeared on various charts in the US.
"Shoppin' from A to Z" is a song by US singer-songwriter Toni Basil, released in 1983 as the fourth and final single from her debut album Word of Mouth. It was released in the US only. After the poor performance of "Nobody" in the UK, "Shoppin' from A to Z" also failed to match the success of chart topper "Mickey", peaking at No. 77.
Antonia Christina Basilotta, better known by her stage name Toni Basil, is an American singer, choreographer, dancer, actress, and director. Her song "Mickey" topped the charts in the US, Canada and Australia and hit the top ten in several other countries.
Hardcore Devo Live! is a concert film and live album, showcasing Devo's June 28, 2014, performance at the Fox Theatre in Oakland, California on the 2014 Hardcore Devo Live tour. The tour commemorates the 40th anniversary of the band and pays tribute to former band member Bob Casale, who died February 17, 2014. The set list exclusively focuses on songs written between 1974 and 1977, before Devo had a recording contract. Many of the songs had not been performed by the band since 1977. While the music is largely performed as a quartet, the band is augmented offstage by Brian Applegate on additional keyboards and bass guitar.
Word Of Mouth is a pretty good piece of twitchy, hook-centric new wave.