Eileen Barton
Eileen Barton (November 24, 1924 – June 27, 2006) was an American singer best known for her 1950 hit song, "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake."
Early years
Barton was born in Brooklyn, New York. Her birthdate is often given as 1929, but a certified copy of her birth certificate shows that she was born in 1924. This was done commonly, to shave a few years from a performer's age.
Eileen's parents, Benny and Elsie Barton, were vaudeville performers. She first appeared in her parents' act in Kansas City at age 2½, singing "Ain't Misbehavin'," as a dare to her parents from columnist (and later radio star) Goodman Ace. At 3½, she appeared at the Palace Theater, doing two shows a day as part of comedian Ted Healy's routine (Healy would go on to put together The Three Stooges).
Radio
Barton soon became a child star. By age 6, she appeared on The Horn and Hardart Children's Hour, a radio program sponsored by Horn & Hardart's Automat, a then-well-known restaurant chain, and, by age 7, in 1936-37, she was working with Milton Berle on his Community Sing radio program, using the name "Jolly Gillette" and playing the sponsor's "daughter" (the sponsor was Gillette Razors). She would ask to sing, he would tell her she couldn't, and she would remind him that her daddy was the sponsor, so he'd let her sing a current hit song. She also was a regular on The Milton Berle Show in 1939.
Podcasts:
Eileen Barton
ALBUMS
- A Date With John Waters released: 2007
- The Ultimate Vocal Collection (The Ladies) released: 2006
- Too Young - Hits of the 50's released: 2005
- Great Jukebox Favourites released: 2005
- The Fabulous 50s released: 2004
- Duets With the Dames released: 2003
- Hits of '50 released: 2001
- Mairzy Doats: 44 Wacky Hits released: 1999
- Frank Sinatra & Friends released: 1998
- Duets released: 1997
- 50 Happy Records You Can't Stop Singing released: 1994
- Your Hit Parade, Volume 35: The Fun-Time '50s and '60s released: 1993
- Sentimental Journey: Pop Vocal Classics Volume 2 (1947-1950) released: 1993
- The Top Ten Collection - The Greatest Hits of the Early '50s released:
- Sentimental Journey released:
A Date With John Waters
Released 2007- Tonight You Belong to Me
- Jet Boy Jet Girl
- Ain't Got No Home
- I'd Love to Take Orders From You
- In Spite of Ourselves (feat. Iris DeMent)
- All I Can Do Is Cry
- Big Girls Don't Cry
- Imitation of Life
- Sometimes I Wish I Had a Gun
- Johnny Are You Queer?
- The Right Time
- Hit the Road to Dreamland
- If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake (feat. The New Yorkers)
- Bewildered
The Ultimate Vocal Collection (The Ladies)
Released 2006- The Trolley Song
- Boys in the Backroom
- The Nearness of You
- Music! Music! Music!
- Someone to Watch Over Me
- Tennessee Waltz
- Goody Goody
- Black Coffee
- Staighten Up and Fly Right
- Why Don't You Do Right
- Put 'em in a Box, Tie 'em With a Ribbon
- Blueberry Hill
- My Heart Belongs to Daddy
- When You Wish Upon a Star
- God Bless the Child
- Bonaparte's Retreat
- If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake
- Long Ago and Far Away
- How Deep Is the Ocean
- I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
- L'accordeoniste
- In a Little Lancashire Town
- Lovely to Look At
- Suzy Snowflake
- Chica Chica Boom Chic
Too Young - Hits of the 50's
Released 2005- Pretend
- Little Things Mean a Lot
- Mister Sandman
- Anytime
- Ricochet (Rick-O-Shay)
- Because of You
- On Top of Old Smokey
- Jezebel
- Sin (It's No Sin)
- Shrimp Boats
- Vaya Con Dios
- The Doggie in the Window
- Here in My Heart
- Be My Love
- Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy
- Half as Much
- I Want to Be Loved
- Let Me Go Lover
- Pitsburgh Pennsylvania
- Wanted
- Tell Me You're Mine
- The Little White Cloud That Cried
- Three Coins in the Fountain
- I'm Walking Behind You
- You You You
Great Jukebox Favourites
Released 2005- Music! Music! Music!
- Mona Lisa
- Jezebel
- Shrimp Boats
- Because of You
- The Blacksmith Blues
- Cry
- The Glow Worm
- You Belong to Me
- Mockin' Bird Hill
- My Truly, Truly Fair
- Come On-A My House
- My Foolish Heart
- If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake
- Undecided
- Play a Simple Melody
- Around the Corner (Beneath the Berry Tree)
- High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me)
- Jambalaya (On the Bayou)
- The World Is Waiting (For the Sunrise)
- Any Time
- Charmaine
- Come's A-Long A-Love
- On Top of Old Smoky
- In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening
- Shanghai
- Harbour Lights
The Fabulous 50s
Released 2004- Music! Music! Music!
- The French Can-Can Polka
- Dear Hearts and Gentle People
- Ferryboat Inn
- If I Knew You Were Coming I'd Have Baked a Cake
- The Harry Lime Theme
- Quicksilver
- Cry of the Wild Goose
- Bewitched
- Hymne A L'amour
- A Bushel and a Peck
- Rag Mop
- Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy
- Hey Neighbour
- Valencia
- The Wedding Samba
- The Thing
- Frosty the Snowman
- Girls in Grey
- Goodnight Irene
- Bonaparte's Retreat
- Just Say I Love Her
- With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming
- Mona Lisa
Duets With the Dames
Released 2003- You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me
- Let's Take an Old-Fashioned Walk
- Tea for Two
- This Can't Be Love
- The Girl Next Door
- Let's Get Away From It All
- Some Enchanted Evening
- Gotta Be This or That
- Together
- Make Believe
- Embraceable You
- Lover, Come Back to Me
- Take Me Out to the Ball Game
- My Romance
- No Can Do (feat. Lena Romay)
- Button Up Your Overcoat
- The Anniversary Song
- The Night Is Young and You're So Beautiful
- I Think of You
- Come Out, Wherever You Are
- You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
- There's No Business Like Show Business
- A Little Learnin' Is a Dang'Rous Thing, Part 1
- A Little Learnin' Is a Dang'Rous Thing, Part 2
Hits of '50
Released 2001- The Tennessee Waltz
- The Old Master Painter
- I Can Dream Can’t I
- Dear Hearts and Gentle People
- My Foolish Heart
- Rag Mop
- Third Man Theme
- Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy
- Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
- The Cry of the Wild Goose
- Mona Lisa
- Music Music Music
- I Wanna Be Loved
- Tzena Tzena Tzena
- La Vie En Rose
- If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d’ve Baked a Cake
- Sentimental Me
- Hoop Dee Doo
- Harbour Lights
- Play a Simple Melody
- All My Love (Bolero)
- The Thing
- Nevertheless (I’m in Love with You)
- Bonaparte’s Retreat
- Goodnight Irene
Mairzy Doats: 44 Wacky Hits
Released 1999- Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief
- Doin' What Comes Natur'lly
- I Never See Maggie Alone
- Managua, Nicaragua
- I'm a Lonely Little Petunia (In an Onion Patch)
- A-Feudin' and A-Fightin'
- Three Little Fishies
- Chickery Chick
- The Thing
- Open the Door, Richard!
- The Hut-Sut Song (A Swedish Serenade)
- "A" You're Adorable
- Daddy
- Beer Barrel Polka
- Cocktails for Two
- Deep in the Heart of Texas
- I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Cocoanuts (feat. Merv Griffin & Ensemble)
- Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop
- The Maharajah of Magador
- My Two Front Teeth (All I Want for Christmas)
Frank Sinatra & Friends
Released 1998- Exactly Like You
- Medley: Till We Meet Again / Meet Me in Dreamland / There's a Long, Long Trail
- Some Enchanted Evening
- Personality
- Tea for Two
- Stephen Foster Medley: Beautiful Dreamer / De Camptown Races
- This Can't Be Love
- Make Believe
- Figaro (feat. Carlos Ramirez)
- Come Out Wherever You Are
- Parody Melody
- Lover, Come Back to Me
- Birth of the Blues
- Somebody Loves Me
- You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
- Yes Indeed
- Don't Bring Lulu
- There's No Business Like Show Business
Duets
Released 1997- Exactly Like You
- Medley: 'Till We Meet Again / Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland / There's a Long, Long Trail A-Winding
- Some Enchanted Evening
- Personality
- Tea for Two
- Stephen Foster Medley: De Camptown Races / Beautiful Dreamer
- This Can't Be Love
- Make Believe
- Figaro
- Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are
- Parody Medley: It Could Happen to You / I Heard You Cried Last Night / I'll Get By / I Don't Believe It, but Say It Again / Out of Nowhere / Going My Way / Sunday, Monday or Always
- Lover, Come Back to Me
- The Birth of the Blues
- Somebody Loves Me
- You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
- Yes Indeed
- Don't Bring Lulu
- There's No Business Like Show Business
- No Can Do
- Together
- Medley: Among My Souvenirs / September Song / As Time Goes By
50 Happy Records You Can't Stop Singing
Released 1994- Hello Dolly
- Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare)
- Wedding Bells (Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine)
- Oh Baby Mine (I Get So Lonely)
- Side By Side
- You, You, You!
- Oh! My Pa-Pa (O Mein Papa)
- The Gang That Sang "Heart Of My Heart"
- Lazy River
- So Long (It's Been Good to Know You)
- Down Yonder
- Mockin' Bird Hill
- Goodnight Irene
- I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
- If I Knew You Were Coming (I'd 've Baked a Cake)
- Chatttanoogie Shoe Shine Boy
- A Bushel And A Peck
- Down By The Station
- Forever And Ever
- I've Got A Lovely Bunch Of Coconuts
- Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly)
- A Little Bird Told Me
- Manana (Is Soon Enough for Me)
- Open The Door, Richard
- Slow Poke
Your Hit Parade, Volume 35: The Fun-Time '50s and '60s
Released 1993- The Thing
- Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo
- If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake
- I Said My Pajamas (and Put On My Pray'rs)
- Somebody Bad Stole de Wedding Bell (Who's Got de Ding Dong?)
- Auctioneer
- In the Middle of the House
- Zorro
- (Bazoom) I Need Your Lovin'
- Daddy-O
- Black Strap Molasses
- Go to Sleep, Go to Sleep, Go to Sleep
- Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor (on the Bedpost Over Night)
- Speedy Gonzales
- Dance Everyone Dance
- My Boomerang Won't Come Back
- Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport
- Delaware
- A Dollar Down
- May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose
- The Boll Weevil Song
- The Marvelous Toy
- Beans in My Ears
- Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious
Sentimental Journey: Pop Vocal Classics Volume 2 (1947-1950)
Released 1993- Far Away Places
- Mañana
- Love Somebody
- Buttons and Bows
- Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)
- Tennessee Waltz
- My Foolish Heart
- That's My Desire
- A Little Bird Told Me
- Again
- If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd Have Baked a Cake
- Little White Lies
- It's Magic
- Tree in the Meadow
- Goodnight Irene
- Music Music Music
- Mam'selle
- Linda
The Top Ten Collection - The Greatest Hits of the Early '50s
- Music, Music, Music
- Mona Lisa
- Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy
- The Tennessee Waltz
- If I Knew You Were Coming
- The Thing
- Harbor Lights
- Goodnight Irene
- I Can Dream, Can't I?
- The Third Man Theme
- Too Young
- Jezebel
- If
- On Top of Old Smoky
- Cry
- Come On-A My House
- Be My Love
- How High the Moon
- (It's No) Sin
- Anytime
Sentimental Journey
- Music Music Music
- The French Can-Can Polka
- Dear Hearts and Gentle People
- Ferryboat Inn
- If I Knew You Were Coming I'd Have Baked a Cake
- The Harry Lime Theme
- Quicksilver
- Cry of the Wild Goose
- Bewitched
- Hymne a L'Amour (Hymn to Love)
- A Bushel and a Peck
- Rag Mop
- Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy
- Hey Neighbour
- Valencia
- The Wedding Samba
- The Thing
- Frosty the Snowman
- Girls in Grey - TV Newsreel March
- Goodnight Irene
Born: 1924-11-24
Died: 2006-06-27
-
by Eileen Barton
Eileen Barton
by: Eileen BartonEileen Barton
Miscellaneous
If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked A Cake
If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked A Cake
-MCA Records-MSD2-35180/GMD80041
-peak Billboard position # 1 for 10 weeks in 1950
-competing versions charted by Georgia Gibbs (#5), Benny Strong (#11),
-Ethel Merman and Ray Bolger (#15), and Art Mooney (#28)
SPOKEN: Come in! Well, well, well. Look who's here. I haven't seen you in many
a year.
If I knew you were comin' I'd've baked a cake, baked a cake, baked a cake
If I knew you were comin' I'd've baked a cake
Howdya do, howdya do, howdya do?
Had you dropped me a letter, I'd a-hired a band, grandest band in the land
Had you dropped me a letter, I'd a-hired a band
And spread the welcome mat for you
Oh, I don't know where you came from
'cause I don't know where you've been
But it really doesn't matter
Grab a chair and fill your platter
And dig, dig, dig right in
If I knew you were comin' I'd've baked a cake, hired a band, goodness sake!
If I knew you were comin' I'd've baked a cake
Howdya do, howdya do, howdya do?
If I knew you were comin' I'd've baked a cake, baked a cake, baked a cake
If I knew you were comin' I'd've baked a cake
Howdya do, howdya do, howdya do?
Had you dropped me a letter, I'd a-hired a band, grandest band in the land
Had you dropped me a letter, I'd a-hired a band
Spread the welcome mat for you
Oh, I don't know where you came from
'cause I don't know where you've been
But it really doesn't matter
Grab a chair and fill your platter
And dig, dig, dig right in
If I knew you were comin' I'd've baked a cake, hired a band, goodness sake!
If I knew you were comin' I'd've baked a cake
Howdya do, howdya do, howdya do?
Howdya do, howdya do, howdya do?
Howdya do-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
These lyrics were transcribed from the specific recording mentioned above
and do not necessarily correspond with lyrics from other recordings, sheet