{"id":24803,"date":"2025-01-22T08:04:24","date_gmt":"2025-01-22T08:04:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=24803"},"modified":"2025-01-22T08:08:16","modified_gmt":"2025-01-22T08:08:16","slug":"fair-fat-and-forty-i-like-em-i-like-em","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/fair-fat-and-forty-i-like-em-i-like-em\/","title":{"rendered":"Fair, fat and forty (I like em! I like em!)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td><\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1920<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>R. P. Weston and Bert Lee<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN24471<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Whit Cunliffe<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
O’Brien, Paddy ; Australia : New South Wales ; 1984<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Old Uncle Ben, he's been at it again!
Old Uncle Benjamin's a rascal!
Says he: \"When I see a little flapper, 
I feel just as though I want to slap her!
Some like the queen who is sweet seventeen,
But I've got no eyes for her.
Although she's young and tender,
Fair and innocent and slender,
She's not the kind that I prefer:

\u201cI like em! I like em when they're fair, fat and forty
When they're fair fat and forty, they are fine!
I like em! I like em! when they're nice and per-lump!
Your giddy little flapper only gives me the hump.
I like em! I like em when they're young enough to cuddle,
And old enough to stay out after nine.
No I don't want two of twenty
One of forty will be plenty
When they're fair, fat and forty they are fine!<\/em>

\u201cI like em! I like em when they're fair, fat and forty
When they're fair fat and forty, they are fine!
I like em! I like em! when they're nice and per-lump!
Your giddy little flapper only gives me the hump.
I like em! I like em when they're young enough to cuddle,
And old enough to stay out after nine.
No I don't want two of twenty
One of forty will be plenty
When they're fair, fat and forty they are fine!<\/em>

He will declare, \u201cThough she may have grey hair,
What does it matter if her heart's young?
For lamb I have never been a glutton,
There's more flavour in it when it's mutton.
Give me the fat girl they show at the fair;
Squeezing her I'll show my skill.
If one arm will not go round
That young lady from the show ground
Then damn it sir my two arms will!

\u201cI like em! I like em when they're fair, fat and forty
When they're fair fat and forty, they are fine!
I like em! I like em! when they're nice and per-lump!
Your giddy little flapper only gives me the hump.
I like em! I like em when they're young enough to cuddle,
And old enough to stay out after nine.
When the slender and they're lissom
When you smack at them you miss em
When they're fair, fat and forty they are fine!<\/em>

\u201cI like em! I like em when they're fair, fat and forty
When they're fair fat and forty, they are fine!
I like em! I like em! when they're nice and per-lump!
Your giddy little flapper only gives me the hump.
I like em! I like em when they're young enough to cuddle,
And old enough to stay out after nine.
Though at sixty they look flighty
In an old red flannel nightie
When they're fair, fat and forty they are fine!<\/em>


\u201cOne girl,\u201d said he, \"gave the glad eye to me,
Her age was eighteen last November.\"
Said Ben, \"I would rather kiss your mater
Your turn comes twenty two years later.
Girls they are peaches, but when they are green,
They are no use as an old man's wife.
If any silly duffer
Picks a south peach he'll suffer
With collie wobbles all his life

\u201cI like em! I like em when they're fair, fat and forty
When they're fair fat and forty, they are fine!
I like em! I like em! when they're nice and per-lump!
Your giddy little flapper only gives me the hump.
I like em! I like em when they're young enough to cuddle,
And old enough to stay out after nine.
Though at ninety they're all gristle <\/em>
If they try to kiss they whistle
When they're fair, fat and forty they are fine!<\/em>

\u201cI like em! I like em when they're fair, fat and forty
When they're fair fat and forty, they are fine!
I like em! I like em! when they're nice and per-lump!
Your giddy little flapper only gives me the hump.
I like em! I like em when they're young enough to cuddle,
And old enough to stay out after nine.
Though at ninety they lack fire
Are they puff like Fords that backfire
When they're fair, fat and forty they are fine!<\/em>

<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"\"<\/figure>
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Australian collector John Meredith collected a snatch of this song (its chorus) from the singing of Paddy O’Brien in New South Wales – Paddy got it from the singing of his brother, who he assumed had written it.  You can hear it here: National Library of Australia digitised item<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The original song was written by Weston and Lee<\/a> and sung in the halls by Whit Cunliffe<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not to be confused with the Florrie Forde song: I’m Fat, fair and forty<\/em>” (1920) which can be heard on YouTube <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also not to be confused with She was fat, she was fair she was forty<\/em> (V32708) a song from the 1880s sung by Fred French<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n