"Baby It's Cold Outside", for modern audiences

[NHdisneylover]

Conveys what? The "rapey" (what kind of word is that anyway)-ness of the song or the "innocence" of it? Wouldn't different singers put different tone on it?

the innocent flirty nature of the song--as most anyone familiar with the time period it was written in would interpret the lyrics sans any tone at all from a singer

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

This thread has been very interesting I never in a million years would have thought there was anything sinister about this song. I always thought the woman wanted to stay longer, but was worried what people might think, not that she was being forcefully coerced into staying by the man.

Unfortunately all too often, advocacy is more important than truth

 

[Hikergirl]

It's a good thing he didn't refer to her as a female

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

It's a good thing he didn't refer to her as a female

He does refer to her as baby though.
Even worse he refers to her as beautiful.

 

[cinnaminny]

They knew what it was about even though you do not.

You're in denial.

 

[L&Lfan]

 

[rastahomie]

I'm not convinced Loesser wrote the song with a wink and a not about date rape. More likely, I think he just wrote about it through the lens of the attitudes of the time. Now when we look at it through the lens of the attitudes of our time, when we value such things as consent, the song seems kind of rapey.

It's kind of like how you can make the case that Walt Disney was anti-Semitic. By the attitudes of our day, probably. By the attitudes of his day, not at all.

 

[Skywalker]

I don't understand the "date rape" stuff...the song is from a simpler time where simply staying late and alone and giving a kiss too many would be scandalous and, again, she clearly is participating willingly. Sheesh. Sometimes, banter and sexual innuendo IS mutual and okay. If someone wants to hear date rape in that song, well, to quote Mike Nesmith, "that's your hangup, not mine".

 

[jodifla]

I love the Dean Martin version of this song. They totally play it like the time it was: He wants her to stay -- but isn't forcing her -- she WANTS to stay, but is afraid of what society will think.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I think the song is awful and no amount of putting it in its proper historical context can stop my inner voice from screaming "Run, girl! You're in danger!" every time I hear it. It's like the crows in Dumbo -- maybe they weren't the worst thing happening on the racism front in the context of their era, but holy cow do they not play well for today's audience. Take all the coercion/date rape vibes away and you're left with a song that harkens back to a time where a woman didn't have the freedom to be in charge of her own sexuality and was instead expected live up to society's standards for her, lest she be branded a skank. That doesn't make me think "fun and flirty," it makes me think "Ugh, this gross song again... I'm changing the station."

 

[punkin]

I think the song is awful and no amount of putting it in its proper historical context can stop my inner voice from screaming "Run, girl! You're in danger!" every time I hear it. It's like the crows in Dumbo -- maybe they weren't the worst thing happening on the racism front in the context of their era, but holy cow do they not play well for today's audience. Take all the coercion/date rape vibes away and you're left with a song that harkens back to a time where a woman didn't have the freedom to be in charge of her own sexuality and was instead expected live up to society's standards for her, lest she be branded a skank. That doesn't make me think "fun and flirty," it makes me think "Ugh, this gross song again... I'm changing the station."

I actually don't think it's rapey because it's pretty obvious she wants to stay, but I agree that as a modern woman I'm a little weirded out that she must play coy and blame alcohol when all she really wants to do is stay at his house. However, the song is a product of its time, and I like the tune. It's catchy.

 

[Hikergirl]

I think plenty of women, and men today blame alcohol for staying at someone's house. The next morning when their oh no what have I done thoughts kick in.

 

[cabanafrau]

I'm not convinced Loesser wrote the song with a wink and a not about date rape. More likely, I think he just wrote about it through the lens of the attitudes of the time. Now when we look at it through the lens of the attitudes of our time, when we value such things as consent, the song seems kind of rapey.

It's kind of like how you can make the case that Walt Disney was anti-Semitic. By the attitudes of our day, probably. By the attitudes of his day, not at all.

Of course he wrote it in the context of the time he lived in, to suggest that he could or should have written it in the context of today's norms and mores makes absolutely no sense.

 

[L&Lfan]

I think plenty of women, and men today blame alcohol for staying at someone's house. The next morning when their oh no what have I done thoughts kick in.

The infamous walk of shame.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

You're in denial.

Liked for Irony.

 

[disykat]

I have always loved that song, but at the same time have always considered it wildly inappropriate. I can think of popular songs from almost every generation that were wildly inappropriate. I grew up with my dad singing "Helen Brown" and "A Huggin and a Chalkin" to me. (from the 20's and 30's) Then there were the years of singing along to "Afternoon Delight" on the radio as a child!

I do think it's worth talking about because it's an issue worth talking about. No means no. That doesn't make the song less catchy.

I'm overall very conservative by nature, but if I had a nickel for every song, movie, joke, book, etc. that was wildly inappropriate that I've still enjoyed - I'd have a lot of nickels!

Oh - and I like the updated more conservative versions too. I have no problem with entertainers playing what is appropriate for their audiences.

 

[bcla]

Of course he wrote it in the context of the time he lived in, to suggest that he could or should have written it in the context of today's norms and mores makes absolutely no sense.

I don't think anyone is saying that the lyrics weren't more or less appropriate for the era. I mean - it mentions smoking, which is typically modified in contemporary performances on the idea that it would send the wrong message that smoking is acceptable.

I started this topic thinking about whether it's legitimate to revisit those lyrics with a modern take on how they might be construed.

 

[erin1715]

So I saw this shared recently on FB and didn't realize it was from three years ago until I went to look it up to share here, but I think it's cute that the female/male roles are reversed in this version, where she is the one trying to entice him to stay. It's Lady Gaga and Joseph Gordon Levitt singing Baby It's Cold Outside.

 

[cabanafrau]

I don't think anyone is saying that the lyrics weren't more or less appropriate for the era. I mean - it mentions smoking, which is typically modified in contemporary performances on the idea that it would send the wrong message that smoking is acceptable.

I started this topic thinking about whether it's legitimate to revisit those lyrics with a modern take on how they might be construed.

Should all art be revisited to update it with a modern take?

 

[Erzengel]

A couple of people got together to "redo" the lyrics to make it less controversial.

As you can tell from the comments, it wasn't that well received.