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, " Mashed Potatoes" in 1960. The Marvelettes song "Please Mr. Postman" is mentioned in the lyrics and is copied in the arrangement. 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.

Chart performance

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

Cover versions

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.