“Patty Andrews, the lead singer of the Andrews sisters group was born in Mound, Minnesota on February 16, 1918 in a house that occupied the property where The Gillespie Center stands today.
During the 1920’s Laverne, Maxene and Patty Andrews spent their summers in Mound, living with their parents in a house across the street from the grocery store that was owned by Pete and Ed Sollie, bachelor uncles of the three girls. (Today, Green T Accounting occupies the Sollie grocery store building and The Gillespie Center is on the land where the Andrews Sisters’ house once stood.)” - From a commentary by Tom Rockvam that appeared in The Laker Newspaper during 2005.
They started their career as imitators of an earlier successful singing group, the Boswell Sisters. After singing with various dance bands and touring on Vaudeville, they first came to national attention with their recordings and radio broadcasts in 1937. Their music entertained Allied troops worldwide during World War II, sold war bonds, appeared in several films (including a few Abbott and Costello features), and performed for soldiers serving overseas. Their first film with Abbott and Costello, the pre-war comedy Buck Privates, introduced their best-known recording, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" which would win Best Song at the Academy Awards.
They also recorded many songs with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and other popular artists of the era. Their popularity was such that after the war they discovered that some of their records had actually been smuggled into Germany after the labels had been changed to read "Hitler's Marching Songs."
After a brief hiatus after the war, the sisters regrouped, performing in clubs throughout the United States and Europe. They broke up in 1953, with Patty's choice to go solo. Their last appearance together was in 1962 on The Dean Martin Show. Laverne, who had cancer, retired soon after; she died five years later, in 1967 at the age of 55.
After a long silence, the two surviving sisters had something of a comeback when Bette Midler recorded a cover of their song "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Maxene and Patty appeared both together and separately throughout the 1970s, with Maxene releasing a solo album in 1986. Their most notable comeback; however, was in the Sherman Brothers' nostalgic World War II musical: "Over Here!" which premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in 1974. The musical featured the two then living sisters (Maxene and Patty) and was written with them in mind for the leads. It launched the careers of many, now notable theater and film icons (John Travolta, Marilu Henner, Ann Reinking, et al). Ironically it was the last major hurrah of the sisters and was cut short due to a frivolous lawsuit initiated by Patty's husband to the show's producers.
Throughout their long career, the sisters had sold over 60 million records. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.
The last of the three sisters Patty Andrews died of natural causes at her home in Northridge, California on January 30, 2013, just 17 days before her 95th birthday. The sisters were interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, close to their parents.
Mr. Five By Five
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here comes Mister Five by Five
He's one of those big, fat, bouncin' boys
Solid avoir dupois
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
Mister Five by Five
Got fifteen 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 goin'
Mister Five by Five
He's slightly plump on the solid side
He don't shake it no more from head to toe
Than he do from side to side
Mister Five, Five by Five
He's five feet tall and he's five feet wide
Slightly plump and he can jump
'Cause he's a mellow old fat and a real hep cat
Mister Five by Five
He's five feet tall and he's five feet wide
He doesn't measure no more from his head to his toe
Than he do from side to side
Mister Five by Five-feet-five
He's slightly plump on the solid side
He doesn't measure no more from head to toe
Than'll he do from side to side
Mister Five, Mister Five, Mister Five
He be just little Mister Five by Five
The Andrews Sisters' song "Mr. Five By Five" is a jazzy nod to a man who is five feet tall and five feet wide (hence "Five by Five"). The songwriters describe him as a "big, fat, bouncin' boy" with "solid avoir du pois," or "solid weight," referencing his plump but muscular build. Despite his size, the songwriters make it clear that Mr. Five by Five is a hep cat who can "really jump it for a fat man." However, they also joke that sometimes it's hard to tell whether he's "coming or going."
The song is a fun and playful celebration of body positivity, emphasizing that it's possible to be large and in charge while still being cool and stylish. Mr. Five by Five embodies this spirit, with his fifteen chins and "real hep fat" demeanor. Ultimately, he's just "little Mister Five by Five" and that's enough.
Line by Line Meaning
Well twirl my turban, man alive
Expressing surprise at the sight of Mister Five by Five
Here comes Mister Five by Five
Drawing attention to Mister Five by Five's arrival
He's one of those big, fat, bouncin' boys
Describing Mister Five by Five's physical attributes
Solid avoir dupois
Commenting on Mister Five by Five's weight
He's five feet tall and he's five feet wide
Stating Mister Five by Five's height and width
He don't measure no more from head to toe
Mister Five by Five's girth is consistent throughout his body
Than he do from side to side
His width is equal to his height
Got fifteen chins and a line of jive
Further describing Mister Five by Five's physical appearance and personality
He's a mellow old cat, a real hep fat
Describing Mister Five by Five's demeanor and hipness
That man can really jump it for a fat man
Surprised at Mister Five by Five's agility despite his weight
The only trouble is there's no way of knowin'
Mister Five by Five's movements are unpredictable
Whether he's comin' or goin'
It's unclear which direction Mister Five by Five is moving in
He's slightly plump on the solid side
Further describing Mister Five by Five's body type
Slightly plump and he can jump
Reiterating Mister Five by Five's physical abilities despite his weight
He be just little Mister Five by Five
Referencing Mister Five by Five's nickname
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON RAYE, GENE DE PAUL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@solentbum
About 35 years ago , on impulse, I bought a Cassette tape of the Andrew Sisters to play on holiday trip in Scotland. After visiting the Site of the Battle of Bannockburn, and as we got into our car and opening the windows because of the heat, Mr Five by Five walked past just as this song came,, very loudly out of the speakers . It was difficult to contain our laughter.
The song still reminds me of that day.
@michaelleblanc7283
'Mr 5x5' was also the name of a B-17 shot down just N of Paris on 14 July 1943 - Target Le Bourget. The name was chosen because it applied to the pilot's physical attributes.Six of the crew managed to evade and four were made pows.
@hermconfirm7368
Interesting, what do you mean by ''Physical attributes'' though?
@themoveslist8279
@@hermconfirm7368 He probably had 15 chins, and maybe (just maybe) a line of jive.
@californiabrotherhood8114
Fallout 76 brought me here
@lovebug6822
Heard this song on the movie "Gangster Squad".
@genemorrison3100
Bro, I came from a movie called "FattyBlunt", ever heard of it?
@jaredquaglieri3731
This song was actually written about Kingpin in Into the Spiderverse
@galahad7494
inb4 fallout 76
@supercool1312
QuantumBlazar fallout 76 loves the andrew sisters, and tbh so do i