"Baby, It's Cold Outside" - Now with new and improved(?) lyrics
We had a discussion here last year about "Baby, It's Cold Outside", and whether the lyrics to this song encourage rape. This came after a radio station pulled the song from its playlist after people complained it was too "rapey".
Well, John Legend has re-written this song "to remove the 'date-rape' lyrics". Here is the song and here are Legend's new lyrics.
What do you think? Did the song need to be re-written? Is this an improvement? Is this the "Christmas" song we need for a post-#metoo era?
Two asides:
This isn't really a "Christmas" song.
This isn't a Christmas song. The lyrics never mention Jesus or Christmas or Santa or Yuletide or the festive season. They don't even refer to Winter! There's just one lyric saying "it's cold outside" - and, as I mentioned in my analysis of the song last year, it's not even snowing in the movie scene where this song was first used.
This is ironic timing, considering Australia's weather.
Here in Australia, half the country is on fire and we're breaking all-time heat records - and here I am, writing about a song which says it's cold outside.
I understand there are differing interpretations, but I’ve always viewed the original lyrics as pretty liberating for the woman. As far as I can tell nowhere does she indicate she wants to leave (in fact, she progressively says she wants to stay ‘half a drink more’ or a ‘cigarette’ more). All (or most) of the reasons listed for leaving are because of others, and society’s, expectations for her and for what is proper. Her father will worry, her brother will be suspicious, her aunts mind is vicious, etc.
In the end she decides to stay, rejecting society’s expectations and demands of her.
On an unrelated note, good to see you back @Algernon_Asimov. Hope all is well.
Well written and my feeling exactly.
I don't think the song needed to be rewritten, but I wholeheartedly support artists re-imagining historical works in a modern context.
What I don't agree with is the assertion that by rewriting the song, the song has been improved. I would argue that the John Legend version is simply less engaging, illustrative and musically pleasing than the original. I believe this cover should be able to exist alongside the original to provide some valuable insight into how our society has changed - I do not believe that it should be considered a replacement.
Just to clarify: I haven't asserted that the song has been improved by this re-write. That's why there's a question mark after "improved" in the title. It's just that "new and improved" is such a cliche, and I wanted to riff off it.
I agree that the song is less enjoyable with the new lyrics. In parts, it's like the male and female singers are having totally different conversations.
And it over compensates for the "rape" connotations by having the "predator" role changed to be too cooperative to the "victim's" wishes. Lines like "If I have one more drink? (It's your body and your choice)" are just cringeworthy.
But the worst lyric in the whole song is this one: "My brother will be there at the door (Oh, he loves my music, baby, I'm sure)" Really, Mr Legend? Is your ego so big that you need to insert yourself into the song?
Meanwhile, I've got my favourite Christmas internet radio station running almost continuously in the background - which is how I heard this new song.
Oooh, bookmarking that station for Christmas morning. It's perfect, thanks! ... Also, welcome back. :)
Christmas morning??? I've had that station playing since the last week of November! And it'll keep playing until the first week of January. I love that music!
I love Christmas music too... but my go to for the last few weeks has been Pentatonix Yule Log playlist, since I love Beatboxing + A Capella. I don't think my family would appreciate that as much as the Crooner station though, so I will probably play that for them instead. :P
A capella 👍
Beat-boxing 👎
I'd like to point out that the reason I enjoy Crooner Christmas Radio is not just because it's Christmas music, but because it's crooner-style Christmas music. That's a great combination in my opinion.
Not every Pentatonix song has beatboxing in it, and in the ones that do it's not usually too forward or obnoxious, it's just to provide a background beat no different than real drums... even still, it's admittedly not for everyone. But yeah, I agree that pretty much anyone can appreciate Crooners music, Christmas or otherwise. I especially love me some Rat Pack! :)
I feel weird about writing this because my opinion is so bland but here we go.
I think the original song is rapey and bad. I don't think John Legend should have made a re-write.
In my opinion, it isn't a good song independent of the rape-y vibes, and then you add that into it and its one of the Christmas songs I want to not hear anymore. I think if other people want to listen to the original, sure, whatever man, I'm not sure it is explicitly rapey enough for me to feel comfortable telling people they shouldn't listen to it.
I don't think John Legend should have re-written it. I think he's an artist and he's allowed to do whatever he wants and I respect his decision to do this, but I sure think there are better ways he could have spent his time. If you don't like his version, don't listen; if you do like his version, enjoy it! But I don't think he NEEDED to rewrite it. I think the song could just die. If people think it is problematic and don't want to hear it anymore, stop playing it. I don't think the song needed to be re-written to be saved from fading into obscurity. He could have wrote a new Christmas song! I think (?) he's done that before? Times, society, traditions, expectations all change and you can write new songs about what Christmas means to you, you don't have to rewrite a song because it needs to be a part of Christmas.
TL;DR: Do what you want and enjoy what you want. If you like the old, dope. If you like the new, dope. If you want to rewrite it because it's what you want to do? Dope. If you want to rewrite it because it is a Christmas song and you want to make money off of remixing Christmas songs? Dope. But also, if people don't want the song around, you don't need to remix it because the holidays can't possibly exist without <song>. Change and the new is dope too. I think the original song is bad and also is rape-y, I think the new song is sang better but sounds worse. I won't be listening to either but if you want to I support you.
The problem with that approach is that it's a good tune, with a fun premise. It's an enjoyable song to listen to, as long as you don't overthink the lyrics. So having a version of this enjoyable song that we can listen to without feeling guilty is a benefit.
That said, I think John Legend's lyrics are worse than the original lyrics, artistically speaking. The re-write could have been done better.
Regardless of what the song says or does, I hope you're okay @algernon_asimov . Stay safe out there homie.
I'm okay. I was never not okay. Thanks.