Mashed Potato Time

"Mashed Potato Time" is a single written and composed by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe, and performed by Dee Dee Sharp on her debut album It's Mashed Potato Time. The song refers to the Mashed Potato dance move which was a fad at the time. It was one of several that came out at that time, for example, "(Do the) Mashed Potatoes" in 1960.[1] The Marvelettes song "Please Mr. Postman" is mentioned in the lyrics and is copied in the arrangement. Also mentioned in the lyrics, are the songs "Lion Sleeps Tonight" by the Tokens, and "Dear Lady Twist", by Gary US Bonds. Dee Dee Sharp did a follow up sequel to "Mashed Potato Time", with "Gravy" (On the Mashed Potato). In 1996 the Campbell Soup Company used the song in a $30 million advertising campaign, and commissioned a new, more upbeat recording from Dee Dee Sharp.[2]

"Mashed Potato Time"
Single by Dee Dee Sharp
from the album It's Mashed Potato Time
B-side"Set My Heart at Ease"
Released1962
Recorded1962
GenreR&B, rock and roll, pop
Songwriter(s)Kal Mann, Bernie Lowe
Producer(s)Kal Mann

Chart performance

The song reached No. 1 on the U.S. R&B chart in 1962,[3] as well as No. 2 on the pop chart.[4] It was kept from the No. 1 spot by Soldier Boy by The Shirelles.[5]Billboard ranked it as the No. 3 song for 1962.[6] It became a gold record.

Cover versions
  • Dick and Dee Dee released a version of the song on their 1962 album, Tell Me - The Mountain's High.[7]
  • The song was also recorded by Dee Dee King on his 1989 album, Standing In The Spotlight, with Debbie Harry on backing vocals.

Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster Mash," released a few months after "Mashed Potato Time", was written in part as a parody of Dee Dee Sharp's record, even copying the "whaa-oo" backing vocal.[8]

See also
  • List of number-one R&B singles of 1962 (U.S.)

References
  1. James McBride. "THE POTATO'S GREAT IMPACT ON THE WORLD". Boston Globe, Oct 2, 1981.
  2. "1962 HIT SONG, DANCE GIVE CAMPBELL SOUP NEW TWIST". Associated Press, 1996.
  3. "Biography by Andrew Hamilton". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 14 April 2009.
  4. "Album Search for "its mashed potato time"". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  5. https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1962-05-05
  6. Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1962
  7. Dick and Dee Dee, Tell Me - The Mountain's High Retrieved May 2, 2015
  8. Greenberg, Steve (2012-10-31). "50 Years of 'Monster Mash': The Story Behind the Halloween Hit". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
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