The original from Neptune's Daughter Neptune's Daughter is a 1949 musical romantic comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring Esther Williams, Red. Clarkson, 37, and Legend, 40, recorded their version of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with lyrics reflecting the #MeToo era. In the tune, which has been covered by many artists since its debut.
Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for Nov. 8
Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines for Nov. 8 are here. Check out what's clicking today in entertainment.
John Legend and Kelly Clarkson just dropped the updated version of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”
The two 'Voice' coaches collaborated to create a modernized version of the Christmas classic — fully of reworked lines in light of the original’s growingly controversial lyrics.
In the original tune, which has been covered by many artists since its debut, a female sings: 'I really can’t stay,” to which a man responds: 'But baby, it’s cold outside.” In another part of a song, a woman is heard singing lines like 'Say what's in this drink?', 'The answer is no' and 'I've gotta get home.'
Though the original song was released in 1944, factors such as the #MeToo movement and Bill Cosby’s rape charges have led some modern-day listeners to question the original’s lyrical content.
![Celebrity Celebrity](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/aa/7f/d7/aa7fd7709c5fc15a2e7596abca9cff40.jpg)
Baby It's Cold Outside Celebrity Pokie Edition
As a result, both Legend and Clarkson have worked to create a less offensive version, replacing many of the original’s lyrics.
John Legend re-recorded 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' with Kelly Clarkson. (Getty)
For example, the original track includes the verse, “The neighbors might think (Baby it's bad out there) / Say what's in this drink (No cabs to be had out there) / I wish I knew how (Your eyes are like starlight now) / To break this spell (I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell).”
In contrast, Legend and Clarkson’s version swaps out those lyrics in favor of: “What will my friends think? (It's your body and your choice) / If I have one more drink? (It's your body and your choice) / Ooh you really know how (Your eyes are like starlight now) / To cast a spell (One look at you and then I fell).”
Singer/Coach Kelly Clarkson of 'The Voice' speaks onstage during the NBCUniversal portion of the 2018 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 9, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Users on Twitter had mixed reactions to the updated track.
One user said that Legend and Clarkson did a “great job.”
![Celebrity Celebrity](https://ofads.life/img/18/184442-see-before-now-photos-of-celebrities-with-the-longest-marriages-us-ad-example-life-of-ads-199676.jpeg)
However, not all responses were positive.
One user simply wrote, “No thanks.”
Another user pointed out that they should not have made it “P.C.”
This user pointed out that the song did not need a remake to begin with.
@obrienc2
Baby Its Cold Outside Celebrity Pokie Edition
Posted: Nov 07, 2019 3:45 PM
Source: Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
It's become one of the more unfortunate holiday traditions. Nowadays, each time Christmas rolls around, we're not only wondering what presents we'll get under the tree this year, but which radio stations will ban, 'Baby, It's Cold Outside.' The classic holiday melody, written by Broadway composer Frank Loesser in 1944, recorded for the movie 'Neptune's Daughter,' and rerecorded a few more times by iconic names like Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, is now a full-blown scandal.
In the original melody, the male singer tries to persuade his female friend to stay with him a little longer before she walks back out into the cold, wintry night. It used to be a harmless favorite of Christmas enthusiasts. But, as some people started listening to the lyrics more closely, they realized how dated and problematic the tune is in these modern, progressive times. They concluded that it needs to be canceled.
Rolling Stone muses that it was in 2004 when the debate really started to rage over whether the song had to do less with playful banter between a man and a woman and more about date rape. For instance, critics like to spotlight the part where the female singer asks, 'What's in this drink?' The scandal has gotten worse in the years since to the point that some radio stations around the country have banned the song. Then some artists began offering their own progressive takes on the song, like this Lady Gaga and Joseph Gordon Levitt performance, where the two swapped gender roles.
Singers John Legend and Kelly Clarkson have taken it a step further and changed some of the lyrics altogether. In their new version of the holiday song, the featured male vocalist sounds a bit more..progressive.
'What will my friends think (I think they should rejoice)/ If I have one more drink? (It’s your body and your choice)” and “I really can’t stay (Baby it’s cold outside)/ I’ve gotta go away (I can call you a ride.)'
Some social justice advocates will be thrilled, I'm sure. But plenty of others will be peeved.
Sharon Osbourne is in the latter category. On Monday's episode of 'The Talk,' the reality star told her audience why she isn't a fan of Legend's revisions.
'What would John Legend if, in 40 years, somebody wanted to rerecord one of his songs and there was some group that found it offensive and somebody went, 'oh I can change the lyrics on that,' Osbourne wondered. 'To me, it's like a master painting. You go and see the beautiful nudes in museums all over the world. They're spectacular. Would it be right for me to go and draw a bikini top on one of those nudes?'
'To change an innocent lyric, what is it, 'your mind and your body?' What the hell are you on about!' Osbourne added.
Could This Be the First Priority of a Biden DOJ? Trump Should Take Necessary Action to Protect HimselfMatt Vespa
Osbourne said she 'loves' John Legend and considers him a talented musician. But his latest artistic decision has her puzzled.
'Why do this?' she asked. 'That's not right.'
Her co-hosts nodded along, and the audience seemed to agree with her as well.
Osbourne isn't the only celebrity to take issue with John Legend's version. Dean Martin's daughter Deana is fuming.
'You do not change the lyrics to the song,' she said on 'Good Morning Britain.' '[John] made it more sexual with those words that he has just said. It’s absolutely absurd. I think what he’s done is, he’s stealing the thunder from Frank Loesser’s song and from my dad. He should write his own song if he doesn’t like this one, but don’t change the lyrics. It’s a classic, perfect song.'
Riches of zeus. Susan Loesser, the daughter of the original composer, was asked on 'Inside Edition' last year what her dad would think of the scandal his song has unintentionally created.
'You wouldn't be able to air' what he'd say, she joked.
And so the debate rages on.
If I could add my two cents..it's too early for Christmas music!