(DO THE) MASHED POTATOES

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"'(Do the) Mashed Potatoes'" is a hit R&B instrumental. It was recorded by James Brown with his band in 1959 and released as a two-part single in 1960. For contractual reasons the recording was credited to "Nat Kendrick & The Swans."

Contents

Circumstances of the recording

Personnel

Cover version

References

Circumstances of the recording

The recording of "(Do the) Mashed Potatoes" arose out of James Brown's success in using the dance of the same name as part of his stage show. Brown wanted to record a Mashed Potatoes-themed instrumental with his band in order to capitalize on the dance's popularity. However, King Records head Syd Nathan, a frequent critic of Brown's proposals, would not allow it. (The first instrumental recorded by Brown and his band, titled "Doodle Bug" and credited to Brown's tenor saxophonist J.C. Davis, had not sold well when it was released on King's sister label Federal Records.) Brown approached Henry Stone, a friend in the music business who ran the Dade Records label, about recording the piece with him. Stone, although nervous about crossing Nathan (with whom he did business), arranged for Brown to record at his Miami studio.
"(Do the) Mashed Potatoes" was recorded with Brown playing the piano and shouting the song's title. To prevent Brown's voice from being recognized, Stone overdubbed shouted vocals by Carlton "King" Coleman, a local radio DJ, onto the recording, though Brown's voice remains audible in the background. Leadership of the band was officially credited to Nat Kendrick, who was Brown's drummer at the time. A simple twelve bar blues tune, "(Do the) Mashed Potatoes" became a Top Ten R&B hit in 1960 and fed what would eventually grow into a national dance craze. The band went on to record several more singles under the Nat Kendrick & the Swans name, including "Dish Rag", "Slow Down", and "Wobble Wobble", but none of these were successful.
James Brown recorded another Mashed Potatoes-themed hit, "Mashed Potatoes U.S.A.", in 1962. King Coleman recorded "The Mash Potato Man" in the same year.

Personnel

''"Nat Kendrick & The Swans"'':

★ Carlton "King" Coleman - lead vocal

★ Alfred Corley - alto saxophone

★ J.C. Davis - tenor saxophone

★ James Brown - piano, vocal yelps

★ Bobby Roach - guitar

★ Bernard Odum - bass

★ Nat Kendrick - drums

Cover version

★ The British beat group The Undertakers recorded a cover version of "(Do the) Mashed Potatoes" in 1963.

References

★ Guralnick, P. (1986). ''Sweet Soul Music: Rhythm and Blues and the Southern Dream of Freedom''. New York: Back Bay Books. ISBN 0-45226-697-1.

★ Leeds, Alan M., and Harry Weinger (1991). Star Time: Song by Song. In ''Star Time'' (pp. 46-53) [CD liner notes]. London: Polydor Records.

★ Nat Kendrick & The Swans. Henry Stone Music, Inc. Retrieved January 28, 2007.

★ White, Cliff, and Harry Weinger (1991). Are You Ready for Star Time? In ''Star Time'' (pp. 14-44) [CD liner notes]. London: Polydor Records.

★ Wolk, Douglas. (2004). ''Live at the Apollo''. New York: Continuum Books.