Premiering in 1969, this educational television show aimed at preschoolers … Read Full Bio ↴Premiering in 1969, this educational television show aimed at preschoolers has charmed generations of youngsters ever since. The show - featuring a lovable cast of characters including Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Oscar the Grouch, Elmo, Snuffy, Grover and many others - has delighted and educated children and adults alike, with its collection of songs, skits, and celebrity guest appearances.

If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake
Sesame Street Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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.
How-ja do. How-ja do, How-ja do.

Had you dropped me a letter I'd 've hired a band,

grandest band in the land.
Had you dropped me a letter I'd 've hired a band
and spread the welcome mat for you.

Now 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.
How-ja do. How-ja do. How-ja 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.
How-ja do. How-ja do, How-ja do.

Had you dropped me a letter I'd 've hired a hall,
great big hall, band and all.
Had you dropped me a letter I'd 've hired a hall
and spread the welcome mat for you.

Now 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 kept the pot,
coffee pot nice and hot.

If I knew you were comin' I'd 've baked a cake.
How-ja do. How-ja do. How-ja do.

Overall Meaning

"If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake" is a welcoming, feel-good song that expresses the happiness one feels when an unexpected guest arrives. The first verse is sung when the singer initially sees the guest, expressing surprise at their arrival after many years of not seeing each other. The second verse highlights how the singer would have prepared a grander welcome if they'd been notified in advance. In the third verse, the singer acknowledges they don't know anything about the guest's past and simply wants them to make themselves comfortable and enjoy the food and drink. Finally, the refrain is repeated, emphasizing the joy the singer feels at the guest's arrival and how they would've wanted to prepare a more elaborate welcome had they known earlier.

The song was written in 1950 by Al Hoffman, Bob Merrill, and Clem Watts and became a hit for Eileen Barton the same year. The song has been covered by many artists since then, including Georgia Gibbs, Dinah Shore, and Nancy Wilson. It has also been used in movies like "The Muppet Movie" and in ads for brands like Pillsbury.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, well, well, look who's here.
Oh my, it's you! I haven't seen you in a long time!

If I knew you were comin' I'd 've baked a cake, baked a cake, baked a cake.
If I had known you were coming to visit, I would have prepared a special treat for you, like baking a cake not just once but thrice.

How-ja do. How-ja do, How-ja do.
How are you doing? I'm glad you're here!

Had you dropped me a letter I'd 've hired a band, grandest band in the land.
If you had notified me in advance, I would have arranged for the most remarkable musical ensemble to perform for you.

and spread the welcome mat for you.
and made sure everything was ready to welcome you.

Now I don't know where you came from cause I don't know where you've been.
I'm actually not sure where you are coming from or where you've been, but it doesn't truly matter as I am glad you're here now.

But it really doesn't matter grab a chair and fill your platter and dig dig dig right in.
But it's all okay, you're here, please take a seat and indulge in the food that's laid out. Feel free to dig in and enjoy.

hired a band, goodness sake.
Arranging for a band was necessary and would've been great.

Had you dropped me a letter I'd 've hired a hall, great big hall, band and all.
If you had told me ahead of time, I would have booked a massive venue with a band to entertain you.

If I knew you were comin' I'd 've kept the pot, coffee pot nice and hot.
If I'd have known you were arriving, I would have kept the coffee pot piping hot so that you could enjoy a warm cup upon your arrival.

Lyrics © MUSIC & MEDIA INT'L, INC., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AL HOFFMAN, BOB MERRILL, CLEM WATTS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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