Ella Mae Morse

Solid Potato Salad

Solid Potato Salad is a great vocal swing chart from the versatile Ella Mae Morse, recorded with the Freddie Slack Orchestra in 1943 when Ella Mae was only eighteen years old. There has been some speculation as to whether the lyric has an alternate, underlying meaning, though the consensus seems to be that it's just a quirky song about good food. The chart opens with a punchy four measure intro which leads to the eight measure verse, with a quick band pick-up into the vocal chorus. The vocal is backed by saxes for the first sixteen measures. The trombones support the middle eight, with the saxes returning for the last eight. A quick chromatic modulation lifts the chart into the instrumental chorus (AABA) which is ensemble, Tenor solo, ensemble and then Piano solo, finishing with a modulation down to the original key (F) for the closing vocal half-chorus, with a solo vocal fill and band flourish to close. This is a really bouncy chart which, at 145 bpm, is just right for the swing dance crowd too. There are no sax doubles and the vocal key is F.