The Cake
| Company type | Girl group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1966 in Manhattan, New York, United States |
| Founder | Jeanette Jacobs, Barbara Morillo, Eleanor Barooshian |
| Defunct | 1968 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | United States, United Kingdom |
Key people | Jeanette Jacobs, Barbara Morillo, Eleanor Barooshian; managers Charles Greene and Brian Stone |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Number of employees | 3 (members) |
The Cake was a 1960s girl group consisting of Jeanette Jacobs, Barbara Morillo, and Eleanor Barooshian, managed by Charles Greene and Brian Stone, who also oversaw acts such as Sonny & Cher, Buffalo Springfield, and Iron Butterfly.
The Cake: 1966–1968
Originating in Manhattan, New York in 1966, The Cake started as an a cappella trio performing at Steve Paul's venue, The Scene. Barooshian notably collaborated with Tiny Tim on the rendition of the Sonny & Cher classic "I Got You Babe" featured in the 1968 documentary You Are What You Eat. Jacobs and Morillo brought Barooshian on board to establish an androgynous, bohemian female ensemble.
In 1967, producers Greene and Stone discovered the group at New York's Ondine Discotheque. After recording demos such as "Walking The Dog" and "Something’s Got a Hold On Me," they signed with Decca and moved their base to Los Angeles.
Their first single, "Baby, That's Me," penned by Jack Nitzsche and Jackie DeShannon with arrangement by Harold Battiste, showcased a Wall of Sound production style. It was ranked number 64 on Billboard’s list of the 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs.
The Cake set themselves apart by blending original compositions with R&B classics. Tracks like "Medieval Love," "Fire Fly," and "Rainbow Wood" displayed complex madrigal-inspired harmonies typical of 1960s baroque pop. Their self-titled debut album, The Cake (1967), was released through Decca.
They appeared on television programs including The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and Popendipity to promote their music. However, controversies emerged during rehearsals; for instance, Barooshian's refusal to remove an American flag t-shirt resulted in her being excluded from filming on The Woody Woodbury Show. Moreover, they were removed from the 1967 Miss Teenage America Pageant following a dispute over their rehearsal attire that incited protests from teenage supporters.
Their sophomore and final album, A Slice Of Cake (1968), also released on Decca and recorded at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles, comprised entirely original tracks predominantly written by Barooshian with folk-psychedelic arrangements by Battiste. The song "P.T.280" drew inspiration from an encounter with The Who at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Relations with managers Greene and Stone deteriorated during recording sessions; the managers introduced additional female vocalists without the group's approval, as heard on songs like "Sadie." This discord played a role in the band's breakup, after which Jacobs and Barooshian relocated to London.
Throughout their tenure, The Cake received acclaim from prominent artists including Eric Burdon and Jimi Hendrix.
Post-breakup
Following The Cake's dissolution in 1968, Jacobs and Barooshian toured as backing vocalists for New Orleans pianist and session musician Dr John (Malcolm John Rebennack), who had contributed to their albums.
Jeanette Jacobs
In November 1972, Jacobs wed Chris Wood of the British band Traffic. Their acquaintance began during Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland sessions in 1967 when Jacobs accompanied Hendrix to London. In 1969, Wood toured the United States with Dr John, joined by both Jacobs and Barooshian. Subsequently, Jacobs became a member of Ginger Baker's Air Force in the UK, featuring on their 1970 self-titled release with vocal contributions across several tracks. Residing in West London, Jacobs maintained an open relationship but struggled with substance abuse issues before separating from Wood in 1977. She passed away on January 1, 1982, aged 32, due to a fatal seizure linked to epilepsy. The couple had one son named Damien.
Eleanor Barooshian
In 1968, Barooshian contributed backing vocals to "Why Are We Sleeping?" on the debut album of the British psychedelic group Soft Machine. She moved to the United Kingdom alongside Jacobs and briefly performed live with Ginger Baker's Air Force in early 1970, although she did not receive credit on their recorded album. During the early 1970s, she collaborated with Tetsu Yamauchi in Japan, co-writing and singing on the 1972 album Tetsu. After marriage, she was known as Chelsea Lee and passed away on August 30, 2016, at the age of 66.
Barbara Morillo
Following The Cake's breakup in 1968, Morillo returned to New York City where she took on lead vocal duties in several jazz ensembles such as The Act (a duo with Rahni Raines), Nightflyte (featuring Stephen Gaboury, Lincoln Goines, Kim Plainfield, Libby McLaren, and Roger Squitero), Ryo Kawasaki and the Golden Dragon, Bamboo (with Jason Shocair), and Triptic Soul alongside violinist Karen Lee Larson. During holiday seasons, she performs with The Carolling Carollers, an a cappella group whose album earned a New York Indie Award in 1997. Morillo also leads her own group called Barbara Morillo and Shrine.
Influence
In 1967, The Cake was marketed as "the band that will do for music in 1968 what the Beatles did in 1964."
Kevin Ayers composed "Eleanor's Cake (Which Ate Her)" on his 1969 release Joy of a Toy as a tribute to Barooshian.
Jacobs served as inspiration for Wings' track "Medicine Jar." According to songwriter Colin Allen, the song expressed frustration regarding Jeanette’s use of methaqualone ("Mandies") and referenced friends lost to substance abuse. This song appeared on Wings' 1975 album Venus and Mars.
Jacobs was featured on the cover of TV Girl's Benny and the Jetts EP using an image taken from The Cake’s 1967 appearance on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. This photograph was intended as an homage to Jacobs’ mysterious aura but was removed following legal threats from Barooshian.
Reunion
In 2006, after a break of 37 years, Barooshian and Morillo reunited The Cake for a single Jimi Hendrix tribute concert held at New York’s BB King Blues Club. The event was organized by Hendrix archivist and filmmaker David Kramer and included performances by Buddy Miles, Johnny Winter, Jose Feliciano, and Leon Hendrix. The Cake participated in interviews for Kramer’s long-anticipated Jimi Hendrix documentary slated for release in April 2024.
In 2017, Morillo—the only remaining member—performed live at the Stonewall Veterans Association Annual Conference, delivering renditions of "Baby, That's Me" and "What'd I Say."
Both of their Decca albums have been reissued on CD by Rev-Ola Records. The compilation More of Cake Please features both albums along with a stereo mix of "Baby, That's Me."
Studio albums
- The Cake (Decca, 1967)
- A Slice of Cake (Decca, 1968)
Compilation
- More of Cake Please (Rev-Ola/Cherry Red, 2007)
Singles
- "Baby, That's Me" / "Mockingbird" (Decca, 1967)
- "You Can Have Him" / "I Know" (Decca, 1967)
- "Rainbow Wood" / "Fire Fly" (Decca, 1968)
- "Have You Heard The News 'Bout Miss Molly" / "P.T. 280" (Decca, 1968)