This song is a reworking of Nat Kendrick and The Swans' "Mashed Potatoes". It's okay but there are a lot of songs from this era that sound just like it.
The Dartells (not to be confused with The Hondells, The Ran-Dells or Tommy James and The Shondells) were from Oxnard, California. They were teenagers when "Hot Pastrami" was released; it reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. Further singles and an album went nowhere and the band split up shortly afterwards.
"Nat Kendrick and The Swans" was James Brown and his band under another name. To keep Brown's voice from being recognized, Carlton "King" Coleman, a local DJ, was recruited to shout the lead vocals to "Mashed Potatoes" over top of Brown's.
Created July 23, 2026.