If I Knew You Were Coming I'd've Baked a Cake

Written by	Al Hoffman, Bob Merrill, Albert J.Trace
Date	1950
Publisher	Golden Bell Songs, Bob Merrill Songs, EMI Music Publishing
First	Episode 0031

"If I Knew You Were Coming I'd've Baked a Cake" was a hit song in 1950, originally recorded by Eileen Barton. It lasted 15 weeks on the Billboard charts, peaking at #1.

Two versions of the song were recorded for Sesame Street. Ernie performed the song during the first season while baking a cake for a very hungry Cookie Monster. The Count and Cookie Monster later recorded another version of the song, which has appeared on various singles and albums.

The song also plays in the background of Elmo's World: Birthdays. Also, at the beginning of a sketch with Cookie Monster at the bakery the baker is heard singing "If I Knew You Were Coming..." to himself.

For the German co-producruib Sesamstrasse, composer Ingfried Hoffmann wrote a new melody for the song (included on the first Sesamstrasse LP and many later releases).

In the Plaza Sésamo version of an Ernie and Bert Sketch, Ernie is heard singing a Spanish translation of the song. Bodoque mockingly sings the title lyric in Suma y Resta con Montoya when he discovers a birthday cake is being made for him.

Releases

Audio (The Count's version)

• C is for Cookie (LP) (1974)
• C is for Cookie/If I Knew You Were Coming I'd've Baked a Cake (single, 1976)
• C Is for Cookie (CD) (1995)
• Cookie Monster Mix! (2019)

Audio (Germany, Ernie's Version)

• Sesamstrasse Buch und Schallplatte (1973)
• Die schönsten Lieder (1994)
• Hätt' ich dich heut' erwartet (2000)
• Die schönsten Lieder (2002)

Video

• Shalom Sesame Show 4: The People of Israel (1986, dialogue in English, song in Hebrew)
• 40 Years of Sunny Days (2009)

See also

• Cookie Monster songs