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BILLY THORPE & THE AZTECS
Mashed Potato (Dessie Rozier) Australia 1964 #7 Sydney #7 Melbourne #9 Brisbane #2 Perth Double-sided hit in Brisbane with Don't Cha Know. Billy Thorpe (1946-2007): British-born singer, guitarist and songwriter whose family emigrated to Brisbane in the 1950s. Based in Sydney from 1963, 'Thorpy', with The Aztecs, had numerous pop hits in a variety of styles, but at the end of the 60s, then in Melbourne, he fronted a loud, rocky, blues-based formation of the Aztecs that contrasted with his earlier pop idol image. Later, his solo and business career took him to Los Angeles, and he wrote two popular autobiographical books, Most People I Know (Think That I'm Crazy) and Sex And Thugs And Rock'n'Roll [AbeBooks link]. Further reading: Paul Culnane's account of Billy Thorpe's career at Milesago.
Suggested by Tony Watson and Terry Stacey. Initial research by Tony Watson. 
THE SEARCHERS
Mashed Potato (Dessie Rozier) UK 1963
On the 1963 Phillips album, Live at the Star Club, recorded in Hamburg, possibly released early '64. Billy Thorpe may have been familiar with this version, given that two other songs he recorded in 1964 were also on the Searchers' Live at the Star Club: Sick And Tired and Sho' Know A Lot About Love (Billy Thorpe's About Love).
RUFUS THOMAS
Mashed Potatoes (Dessie Rozier) USA 1963 Influential version
On 1963 Stax album Walking The Dog. In a 1994 60 Minutes interview Billy Thorpe compares his own singing unfavourably with that of Rufus Thomas, whose version he apparently believes to be the original (transcript at Milesago). Thanks to Jon Stratton.
THE UNDERTAKERS
(Do The) Mashed Potatoes (Dessie Rozier) UK 1963
Jackie Lomax was a member of this Merseyside band. His single of George Harrison's Sour Milk Sea, with George producing and the participation of Ringo Starr and Eric Clapton, was among the first batch of singles released on the Beatles' new Apple label in August 1968. The Undertakers also recorded Just A Little Bit and Stupidity. See the Undertakers page at British Beat Boom 1963-66.
NAT KENDRICK & THE SWANS (JAMES BROWN)
(Do The) Mashed Potatoes (Dessie Rozier) USA 1959 Original version Single on Dade label. James Brown (he is the "Dessie Rozier" in the writer credit) recorded this track and released it under the name of his drummer after a disagreement with his own record label, King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . This is the official title, but it has been recorded as Mashed Potatoes and (by Billy Thorpe) Mashed Potato. BMI lists nine distinct songs called Mashed Potatoes, and ASCAP has another four. That's without counting other songs with "Mashed Potatoes" in their title (Mashed Potatoes Twist, Hot Pastrami With Mashed Potatoes). James Brown himself released Mashed Potatoes USA in 1962, the year that doing the Mashed Potato really took off. This must have been some dance craze! Small Town Country Girl - born in "The Year of the Mashed Potato"- sums up the Mashed Potato craze nicely at her blog (archived page). Some other (Do The) Mashed Potatoes versions of interest are given below, but the list is far from exhaustive. Thanks to Jeff Smith for clarification.
JOHNNY HALLYDAY
C'est Le Mashed Potatoes (Dessie Rozier) France 1962 French language version (It's The Mashed Potatoes) by France's biggest pop idol. These French lyrics seem a bit more complex than our Billy's version. Johnny Hallyday also recorded Mashed Potato Time. Further reading: Hallyday.com.fr and JohnnyWeb.fr.See also Hush and No No No No No.
THE HEP STARS
Mashed Potatoes (Dessie Rozier) Sweden 1965 Single on Olga label, B-side of Cadillac. Popular mid- to late 60s Swedish band. After the Hep Stars broke up, organist Benny Andersson went on to found ABBA with his writing partner Bjorn Ulvaeus. References: Extensive history at Marleen Janssens' fine site devoted to Bjorn and Benny, and discography and sleeve shots at Elmar's ABBA site.
DEE DEE SHARP
Mashed Potato Time (Bateman-Dobbins-Garrett-Gorman-Holland-Mann) USA 1962 Red herring #2 USA #16 Perth Not to be confused with "Mashed Potato" by Billy Thorpe (or with any of those other mashed potato songs, for that matter). What was it with mashed potatoes? Dee Dee Sharp also charted at #9 USA with a follow-up, Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes). Singer from Philadelphia (b. 1945), real name Dione La Rue, initially a back-up singer, heard with Chubby Checker on Slow Twistin' (#3 USA, 1962). Married soul/disco producer Kenny Gamble of Gamble & Huff fame. Further reading: 1999 interview with Dee Dee Sharp by Doug Fuhrmann at The Lively Set. Corrections or comments? Contact the writer. |