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Mr. Five by Five is a 1944 popular song by Don Raye and Gene DePaul that celebrates the heavyset, large, and plus-sized souls among us. The person of substance highlighted by the song was James Andrew Rushing, "Mr. Five by Five," who was the featured vocalist of Count Basie's Orchestra from 1935 to 1948.

The song was introduced in the motion pictures Behind the Eight Ball and Who Done It?, both of which were 1942 Universal Pictures releases.

Ella Mae Morse with Freddie Slack and His Orchestra [1] had a hit recording with the song in 1942 (Capitol 115), as did Harry James and His Orchestra also issued a best-selling platter on the Columbia label that year.

SONG LYRIC:

"Mr. Five by Five"

    Well, twirl my turban, man alive!
    Here comes Mister Five by Five
    He's one of those big fat bouncing boys
    Solid avoirdupois!

    Mister Five by Five
    He's five feet tall and he's five feet wide
    He don't measure no more from head to toe
    Than he do from side to side
     

    Mister Five by Five
    Got fifty chins and a line of jive
    He's a mellow old cat, a real hep fat
    He be Mister Five by Five

    That man
    Can really jump it for a fat man
    The only trouble is there's no way of knowin'
    Whether he's comin' or ... or goin'

    Mister Five by Five
    He's slightly plump on his butter side
    He don't shake it no more from head to toe
    Than he do from side to side

    That man [my, my!]
    Can really jump it for a fat man [fat man!]
    Boys, the trouble is there's no way of knowin'
    Whether he's comin' or ... or goin'

    Mister Five by Five
    He's five feet tall and he's five feet wide
    He don't measure no more from head to toe
    Than he do ...
    From side to side ...
    Mister Five by Five

(@ 1942 MCA Inc.)

WEB SITE:

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