While numerous personnel changes have taken place within the group in its 60+ years of existence, the familiar close harmonies remain The Ink Spots' stock in trade. Making up the current group are bass singer-narrator Harold Winley, second lead Sonny Hatchett, lead tenor Grant Kitchings; and the newest Ink Spot, baritone and guitarist, Morris Dow.
The Ink Spots' story begins in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1932, when four young men - Deek Watson, Charles Fuqua, Orville "Hoppy" Jones and Jerry Daniels - formed the first version of the group. The quartet performed as the Riff Brothers and the Percolating Puppies before settling on the Ink Spots name. In search of a recording contract, the group headed to New York City, where they met up with singer Bill Kenny, who replaced Daniels as the group's lead tenor in 1936. Three years later, The Ink Spots had their first million-selling record, If I Didn't Care. The song, which would be their biggest hit, ultimately sold 19 million copies.
Kenny left the group for a solo career in 1945. The replacement was Jim Nabbie and the hits continued over the next decade; I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire, To Each His Own, My Prayer, I'll Never Smile Again, A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening, Java Jive, Maybe, Into Each Life Some Rain May Fall, We Three, It's A Sin To Tell A Lie, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, Prisoner of Love ... and on and on. After the remaining original members left the group, it was up to Nabbie to keep things going. Frustrated by acts billing themselves as The Ink Spots, Nabbie acquired the rights to the Ink Spots' name and registered it as a trademark. While the frequency of hits slowed in the mid '50's, The Ink Spots' influence was heard in the many doo-wop vocal groups formed during this period, as well as many groups, like the Temptations, which would come along later. The Ink Spots' musical impact was recognized formally in 1987 when inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. They have been inducted into the Apollo Hall of Fame and, in 1997, into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
Nabbie and the rest of the Ink Spots continued to tour, in the neighborhood of some 200 dates a year. Especially pleasing were the 10 to 20 college dates the group would perform each year, where young people, many of whose parents weren't born at the time of The Ink Spots' first hits, would get their first chance to hear the quartet. Nabbie claimed that he was always amazed that younger audiences would accept the "old timers" music so enthusiastically.
In September 1992, Jim Nabbie, "Mr. Ink Spots" for 47 years, passed away, just before the start of an European tour. The Ink Spots were faced suddenly with the prospect of carrying on without their longtime friend and colleague.
More recently, the band has been introduced to a new, or perhaps, younger audience through the highly successful 'Fallout ' series of RPGs, which features the songs 'I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire' (Fallout 3) and 'Maybe' (Fallout).
But carry on the group has! Grant, who had been with The Ink Spots many years ago, was welcomed immediately by audiences with standing ovations. And so it appears that The Ink Spots will remain a viable musical entity for many years to come.
The Ink Spots Bios:
HAROLD WINLEY
Bass Singer/Narrator
His association with The Ink Spots goes back more than fifty years; before he became an original member of THE CLOVERS. It is now more than twenty-five years that he has been performing with THE INK SPOTS on a continual basis. The deep resonance of his voice has thrilled audiences worldwide. He is the "intellectual" of the group and is interested in everything and anything . . . but photography and music are his passions. Born in Washington, DC where most of his family still resides, he was a resident of New York City for many years. He now resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
SONNY HATCHETT
Second Lead/Second Tenor
Sonny is the Group's comedian . . . both on-stage and off-stage . . . and has appeared as a single artist nationally and internationally. Sonny has many comedy albums to his credit. He is also a songwriter and comedy writer and you'll often see his smiling face in movies and commercials filmed in the Miami area. He has been a member of THE INK SPOTS for more than twenty-five years and has earned his nickname of "Twinkle Toes" for his intricate steps on stage. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, he now makes his home in the Fort Lauderdale area.
HERMAN DENBY
Lead Tenor
When Grant Kitchings (lead singer 1995-2001) became ill while performing with THE INK SPOTS on the Mississippi Queen, Herman responded immediately and was on the next flight to New Orleans. Those were big shoes to fill, but he did so very well. We are proud to have Herman as a permanent member of the group now that Grant has sadly passed. Herman is a very modest man but he is a published poet, a writer and a songwriter. He was an original member of the "Doo-Wop Hall of Fame" group THE SWALLOWS and wrote most of their songs. He is a life long friend of Sonny Hatchett. He was also born in Baltimore but now makes New York City his home.
MORRIS DOW
Baritone/Guitarist
A native of Philadelphia, he now makes his home in Baltimore, Maryland. He has scored music for many motion pictures and television and radio commercials. Also known as one of the finest jazz harmonica players in the country today, he is a guitarist extraordinare. He is also a writer and has recently had a beautiful book published. Before joining THE INK SPOTS, he toured with many famous artists including Jimmy McGriff and Nancy Wilson. He also worked with Herb Kenny, the brother of THE INK SPOTS' original lead singer, Bill Kenny.
My Feets Too Big
Ink Spots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mercy!
Sounds like baby patter
Baby elephant patter, that's what I calls it
Say, up in Harlem, at a table for two,
There were four of us, me, your big feet and you
From your ankles up, I say you sure are sweet,
Yes, your feet's too big!
Don't want ya 'cause your feet's too big!
Can't use ya 'cause your feet's too big!
I really hate ya 'cause your feet's too big!
Yeah!
Lah-dee-doo-dah,
Nah-dah-nah-dah
Where d'ya get 'em?
Nah-dee-ah-dah
Your girl, she likes ya, she thinks you're nice,
Got what it takes to be in paradise
She said she likes your face, she likes your rig,
But, man, oh, man, them things are too big
Oh, your feet's too big
Don't want ya 'cause your feet's too big!
Mad at ya 'cause your feet's too big
I hate ya 'cause your feet's too big
My goodness, gun the gunboats!
Shift! Shift! Shift!
Oh, your pedal extremities are colossal
To me you look just like a fossil
You got me walkin', talkin' and squawkin',
'Cause your feet's too big, yeah
Come on and walk that thing
Oh, I never heard o' such walkin', Mercy!
You know your pedal extremities really are obnoxious.
One never knows, do one?
The song "My Feet's Too Big" by the Ink Spots is a lighthearted, playful song that is all about poking fun at the size of someone's feet. The lyrics are full of clever plays on words and phrases that compare the person's feet to all sorts of things, including baby elephants and fossils. The song opens with the singer marveling at the sound of the person's footsteps, describing it as "baby elephant patter."
The setting of the song is in Harlem, at a table for two with the singer, the person with the big feet, and two others. The singer acknowledges that the person has a sweet face and a great personality, but cannot overlook the fact that their feet are too big. The chorus repeats this sentiment, first saying that the singer does not want the person because their feet are too big, then saying that they cannot use them or even hate them because of their feet.
The lyrics are full of playful jabs and teasing, as evidenced by the line, "My goodness, gun the gunboats! Shift! Shift! Shift!" This is a reference to a popular dance move at the time called the "truckin'" dance, where people would mimic the movement of driving a truck, complete with "gunning the gunboats" and "shifting" gears. Overall, the song is a fun, light-hearted tune that pokes fun at the size of someone's feet in an entertaining and playful way.
Line by Line Meaning
Who's that walkin' 'round here?
Who is the person walking around here?
Mercy!
Expressing surprise and dismay.
Sounds like baby patter
Your footsteps resemble those of a baby's.
Baby elephant patter, that's what I calls it
Your footsteps make you sound like a baby elephant, that's how I describe it.
Say, up in Harlem, at a table for two,
I have a story about a time spent in Harlem with one other person.
There were four of us, me, your big feet and you
I am joking that your feet count as two people because of how big they are.
From your ankles up, I say you sure are sweet,
From your ankles up, your physical appearance is attractive.
From there down, there's just too much feet!
Starting from your ankles down to your feet, your size is not proportionate to the rest of your body.
Yes, your feet's too big!
Your feet are too big for me!
Don't want ya 'cause your feet's too big!
I don't want to be with you because your feet are too big.
Can't use ya 'cause your feet's too big!
I can't make use of you because your feet are too big.
I really hate ya 'cause your feet's too big!
I strongly dislike you because your feet are too big.
Yeah!
An exclamation of agreement or confirmation.
Lah-dee-doo-dah,
A meaningless, silly phrase.
Nah-dah-nah-dah
A meaningless, silly phrase.
Where d'ya get 'em?
Where did you get your feet from?
Nah-dee-ah-dah
A meaningless, silly phrase.
Your girl, she likes ya, she thinks you're nice,
Your girlfriend thinks you are a nice person.
Got what it takes to be in paradise
You have enough good qualities to be in a great place.
She said she likes your face, she likes your rig,
She finds your physical appearance attractive.
But, man, oh, man, them things are too big
But your feet are too big for her.
Oh, your feet's too big
Your feet are too big.
Mad at ya 'cause your feet's too big
I am angry with you because your feet are too big.
I hate ya 'cause your feet's too big
I strongly dislike you because your feet are too big.
My goodness, gun the gunboats!
An exclamation of surprise or excitement.
Shift! Shift! Shift!
An order to rapidly move or change.
Oh, your pedal extremities are colossal
Your feet are extremely large.
To me you look just like a fossil
Your feet make you look like a prehistoric creature.
You got me walkin', talkin' and squawkin',
Your feet make me feel flustered and uncoordinated.
'Cause your feet's too big, yeah
Because your feet are too big.
Come on and walk that thing
An invitation to show off your unique walk due to your big feet.
Oh, I never heard o' such walkin', Mercy!
I have never heard of such a unique walk before!
You know your pedal extremities really are obnoxious.
Your feet are more than simply big, they are disruptive and overwhelming.
One never knows, do one?
A rhetorical question indicating that there is no way to know for sure.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ADA BENSON, FRED FISHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Valerie Yates
This always makes me laugh - excellent tune and lyrics.
John F
I’m always teasing my wife because of what I call her sturdy feet.... I just played this to her and she walked out 😂😂😂😂
David Mullin
Walked out? Sounds like she ski'd out 😂
Activate Windows
What an incredible band.
Catherine TheGrrreat
I love this song and I love the Inks
David LoganSr
Have heard and Love other versions of this, but now I think I have a new favorite version!
Lloyd Harrison
Timeless brilliance.
LemonGrass541
this will be played at my funeral
Liam Anderson
Love these guys
Obari
Omm this shit 🔥🔥🔥 funny af had me dead 💀😂🤣