Mashed Potato Time

{{Infobox song | name = Mashed Potato Time | image = | cover = | alt = | type = single | artist = Dee Dee Sharp | album = It's Mashed Potato Time | B-side = "Set My Heart at Ease" | released = 1962 | recorded = 1962 | studio = | venue = | genre = R&B, pop | length = 2:27 | label = Cameo | writer = Kal Mann, Bernie Lowe | producer = Kal Mann | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = Slow Twistin' | next_year = 1962 }}

"'''Mashed Potato Time'''" is a 1962 single written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe, and performed by Dee Dee Sharp, with backing vocals by the Orlons, on her debut album ''It's Mashed Potato Time''. The song refers to the Mashed Potato dance move, which was a fad. It was one of several songs that at that time that referenced the dance, another being James Brown's "Mashed Potatoes U.S.A."<ref>James McBride. "THE POTATO'S GREAT IMPACT ON THE WORLD". Boston Globe, Oct 2, 1981.</ref> 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 "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by the Tokens and "Dear Lady Twist" by Gary U.S. Bonds. Sharp recorded a sequel to "Mashed Potato Time" called "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)".

In 1996 the Campbell Soup Company featured the song in a $30 million advertising campaign, using a new, more upbeat recording by Sharp.<ref>"1962 HIT SONG, DANCE GIVE CAMPBELL SOUP NEW TWIST". ''Associated Press'', 1996.</ref>

==Chart performance== The song reached No. 1 on the ''Cashbox'' Top 100 and ''Billboard'' R&B charts in 1962,<ref name="AMG">{{cite web |first= |last= |url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p20483/biography|pure_url=yes}} |title=Biography by Andrew Hamilton |publisher=Allmusic.com |accessdate=14 April 2009}}</ref> as well as No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/its-mashed-potato-time-mw0000869433/awards |title=Album Search for "its mashed potato time" |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2016-09-26}}</ref> It reached number 2 on the New Zealand lever hit paradcharts<ref>{{cite web | title=Flavour of new zealand - Lever hit parades | url=http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=Lever%20hit%20parades&qyear=1962&qmonth=May&qweek=17-May-1962#n_view_location | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208152425/http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=Lever%20hit%20parades&qyear=1962&qmonth=May&qweek=17-May-1962#n_view_location | archive-date=8 February 2021 }}</ref> e It was kept from the No. 1 spot by "Soldier Boy" by The Shirelles.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/|title=The Hot 100|magazine=Billboard |date=January 2, 2013}}</ref> ''Billboard'' ranked it as the No. 3 song for 1962.<ref>Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1962</ref> It became a gold record. In Canada it was No. 2 for 2 weeks, also due to The Shirelles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chumtribute.com/62-05-07-chart.jpg| title=CHUM Hit Parade - May 7, 1962}}</ref>

==Cover versions== *Dick and Dee Dee released a version of the song on their 1962 album ''Tell Me - The Mountain's High''.<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Dick-And-Dee-Dee-Tell-Me-The-Mountains-High/release/5594545 Dick and Dee Dee, ''Tell Me - The Mountain's High''] Retrieved May 2, 2015</ref> *The Marvelettes, whose hit "Please Mr. Postman" was mentioned in the lyrics, covered this song on their 1962 album ''The Marvelettes Sing.'' *Dee Dee Ramone, as Dee Dee King, recorded a hip hop version of the song, with new lyrics, on his 1989 album ''Standing in the Spotlight'', with Debbie Harry of Blondie 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.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Greenberg|first1=Steve|title=50 Years of 'Monster Mash': The Story Behind the Halloween Hit|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/chartbeat/474395/50-years-of-monster-mash-the-story-behind-the-halloween-hit|accessdate=2017-03-07|magazine=Billboard|date=2012-10-31}}</ref>

==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}

===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Weekly chart performance for "Mashed Potato Time" ! scope="col"| Chart (1962) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite magazine |date=May 5, 1962 |title=Billboard Music Week Hot 100 for Week Ending May 5 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1962/Billboard%201962-05-05.pdf |magazine=Billboard |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250702140525/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1962/Billboard%201962-05-05.pdf |archive-date=July 2, 2025 |access-date=March 23, 2026}}</ref> | 2 |- ! scope="row"| US Hot R&B Sides (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine |date=May 12, 1962 |title=Billboard Music Week Hot R&B Sides |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1962/Billboard%201962-05-12.pdf |magazine=Billboard |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240220061137/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1962/Billboard%201962-05-12.pdf |archive-date=February 20, 2024 |access-date=March 23, 2026}}</ref> | 1 |- ! scope="row"| US ''Cash Box'' Top 100<ref>{{cite magazine |date=April 28, 1962 |title=Cash Box Top 100 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1962/CB-1962-04-28.pdf |magazine=Cash Box |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251126055340/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1962/CB-1962-04-28.pdf |archive-date=November 26, 2025 |access-date=March 23, 2026}}</ref> | 1 |} {{col-2}}

===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ 1962 year-end chart performance for "Mashed Potato Time" ! scope="col"| Chart (1962) ! scope="col"| Position |- ! scope="row"| US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite magazine |date=December 29, 1962 |title=Top 100 Singles of 1962 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1962/BB-1962-12-29-Who's-Who.pdf |magazine=Billboard |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208200504/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1962/BB-1962-12-29-Who's-Who.pdf |archive-date=February 8, 2023 |access-date=March 23, 2026}}</ref> | 3 |- ! scope="row"| US Top R&B Records (''Cash Box'')<ref>{{cite magazine |date=December 29, 1962 |title=Top R&B Records & Artists of 1962 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1962/CB-1962-12-29.pdf |magazine=Cashbox |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251205183745/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1962/CB-1962-12-29.pdf |archive-date=December 5, 2025 |access-date=March 23, 2026}}</ref> | 6 |} {{col-end}}

== References == {{Reflist}}

Category:1962 songs Category:1962 debut singles Category:Cashbox number-one singles Category:Dee Dee Sharp songs Category:Songs about dancing Category:Songs written by Bernie Lowe Category:Sequel songs Category:Cameo Records singles