Born into a musical family in Detroit, she worked with small dance bands there before attending Wellesley College on scholarship and majoring in music theory. Boston was a hotbed of jazz in the late 40s and early 50s, allowing Barbara to sing with major instrumentalists such as Marian McPartland, Bobby Hackett, Vic Dickenson, Frankie Newton, Johnny Windhurst, and George Wein.
Her early recordings for Riverside and Prestige met with immediate critical acclaim and led to her winning the DownBeat International Critics' Poll as the Best New Singer of 1956. She appeared in small clubs in New York, including the renowned Village Vanguard, and throughout the eastern U.S. and Canada, as well as on radio and TV.
She studied acting to improve her stage presence and, with the near-demise of classic pop in the early 60s, turned to the legitimate theatre, performing in everything from Shakespeare to Sondheim. She moved to the West Coast and received her M.A. in drama at Cal. State-Northridge, then returned to New York and taught speech at the American Academy of Dramatic Art and acting at Hofstra College. In the 1970s, with the resurgence of interest in show tunes and popular standards, Barbara Lea was sought out to appear in the Peabody Award-winning National Public Radio series "American Popular Song with Alec Wilder and Friends". This led to two lengthy feature articles in The New Yorker and a renewed singing career.
She has over a dozen CDs currently available on the Audiophile label, plus reissues of two early LPs on Fantasy/Original Jazz Classics, and two recent releases on the European-based label Challenge.
Barbara Lea died at the age of eighty-two on December 28, 2011.
Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You
Barbara Lea Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way that I do
Gee baby, ain't I good to you
There's nothing in this whole world too good
For a boy so sweet and true
Gee, baby ain't I good to you
Bought you a fur coat for Christmas
Diamond ring
Big Cadillac car and everything
What makes me treat you
The way that I do
Gee baby, ain't I good to you
The lyrics to Barbara Lea's song "Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You" are about a man who is treating his partner well because he loves them. The singer asks the question "Gee baby, ain't I good to you?" and lists the extravagant gifts they have bought for their partner such as a fur coat, a diamond ring, and a big Cadillac car.
The lyrics suggest that love is the reason for the singer's actions towards their partner. They believe that there is nothing too good for their partner, who they describe as sweet and true. The phrase "Gee baby, ain't I good to you?" is repeated throughout the song and acts as a reminder of the singer's affection for their partner.
The lyrics also suggest that the singer's actions towards their partner are motivated by their love language of gift-giving. They believe that by showering their partner with expensive gifts, they are expressing their love and appreciation for them. Overall, the lyrics to "Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You" are a testament to the power of love and the lengths people will go to show it.
Line by Line Meaning
Love makes me treat you
My affection for you is the driving force behind the way I treat you
The way that I do
My caring and attentive behavior towards you
Gee baby, ain't I good to you
Expressing my appreciation and affection for you
There's nothing in this whole world too good
I believe you deserve only the best things in life, no matter the cost
For a boy so sweet and true
Your kind nature and loyalty warrants extravagant treats and gifts
Bought you a fur coat for Christmas
To show my love and appreciation, I bought you a luxurious and expensive fur coat as a gift for Christmas
Diamond ring
To symbolize our commitment and love, I gave you an expensive diamond ring
Big Cadillac car and everything
I want you to have the best of everything, so I bought you a luxurious Cadillac car
What makes me treat you
The reason behind my generous and affectionate treatment of you
The way that I do
My unwavering love and devotion towards you
Gee baby, ain't I good to you
Continuing to express my love and appreciation for you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Andy Razaf, Don Redman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind