The song featured in Airbnb's "Mashed Potato Time" commercial is (as you might have guessed) "Mashed Potato Time" by Dee Dee Sharp. Although some viewers may have never heard this catchy pop tune before, it was extremely popular upon its release in 1962, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 during May of that same year (via Billboard Database).
"Mashed Potato Time" was inspired by a popular dance move at the time called "the mashed potato," which you can still find tutorials for on YouTube. Outside of music charts, the song is well-known for its appearances in movies, including "Desperately Seeking Susan," "Troop Beverly Hills," and 1988's "Hairspray," when Edna Turnblad (Divine) asks her daughter to turn down the TV, on which several young dancers are seen performing the aforementioned mashed potato dance (via YouTube).
Although this extremely popular song certainly has quite the history outside of this small commercial, there's no question that it was the perfect choice for Airbnb's latest advertising campaign. "Mashed Potato Time" sets the tone for this eccentric, potato-themed home in a fun and memorable way.
