Word of Mouth
Studio album by
Toni Basil
ReleasedMay 22, 1981 (1981-05-22)
Recorded1981
GenreNew wave[1]
Length39:28
LabelChrysalis (U.S.)
Radial Choice (UK)
Producer
Toni Basil chronology
Word of Mouth
(1981)		 Toni Basil
(1983)
Singles from Word of Mouth
  1. "Mickey"
    Released: February 5, 1982
  2. "Nobody"
    Released: 1982
  3. "Time After Time" / "You Gotta Problem"
    Released: 1982
  4. "Shoppin' from A to Z"
    Released: 1983
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Christgau's Record GuideB+[3]

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.

Chart performance

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.

Track listing

U.S. LP

Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Nobody"Paul Delph4:00
2."Little Red Book"
4:04
3."Space Girls"Casale2:56
4."Thief on the Loose"
  • Basil
  • Greg Mathieson
3:50
5."Time After Time"
  • Nick Gilder
  • James McCullough
4:18

UK LP

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Nobody"Delph4:03
2."Hangin' Around"Conway4:08
3."Thief on the Loose"
  • Basil
  • Mathieson
3:54
4."Time After Time"
  • Gilder
  • McCullough
4:23
5."Mickey"
  • Chapman
  • Chinn
4:15
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Little Red Book"
  • Bacharach
  • David
4:07
2."Be Stiff"
  • Casale
  • Lewis
3:24
3."Space Girls"Casale3:00
4."You Gotta Problem"Mothersbaugh4:36

International cassette

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mickey"
  • Chapman
  • Chinn
4:15
2."Nobody"Delph4:03
3."Hangin' Around"Conway4:08
4."Thief on the Loose"
  • Basil
  • Mathieson
3:54
5."Little Red Book"
  • Bacharach
  • David
4:07
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Time After Time"
  • Gilder
  • McCullough
4:23
2."Be Stiff"
  • Casale
  • Lewis
3:24
3."Space Girls"Casale3:00
4."You Gotta Problem"Mothersbaugh4:36

Personnel

Technical
  • Produced by Greg Mathieson and Trevor Veitch
  • John Michael Weaver, Joe Robb, Tony D'Amico, David Leonard – engineer
  • Janet Levinson – design
  • Steven Arnold – cover photography

Charts

References

  1. ↑ Breihan, Tom (Jun 24, 2020). "The Number Ones: Toni Basil's "Mickey". Stereogum. Retrieved July 22, 2023. Word Of Mouth is a pretty good piece of twitchy, hook-centric new wave.
  2. ↑ allmusic review
  3. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1990). "B". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 16, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.
  4. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 27. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. ↑ "Charts.nz – Toni Basil – Word of Mouth". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Toni Basil Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1983". Billboard. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
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