Updated version of ‘date rape’ Christmas song released by John Legend, Kelly Clarkson
- Legend, who is a vocal detractor of R Kelly, changed the lyrics, removing lines including ‘what’s in this drink’
- Baby, Its Cold Outside, written in 1944, has faced growing criticism, with detractors calling it a date rape song
After all the controversy over the 1944 song Baby It’s Cold Outside last Christmas season, John Legend and Kelly Clarkson are aiming to give the song a 2019 update.
Legend shared a sneak peek at some new music coming soon. He’s got an album slated for 2020, but this winter he’ll put out some holiday tunes in A Legendary Christmas, which includes a jazzy cover of Donny Hathaway’s This Christmas and Frank Loesser’s Baby It’s Cold Outside.
The latter has become increasingly controversial in the past few years and denounced as a “date rape” song. The debate took centre stage last holiday season after a radio station in Cleveland announced it would no longer play the song and several other stations around the country followed suit.
Some argue the lyrics have not aged well in the aftermath of #MeToo, like the woman telling the man “no, no, no” and asking “what’s in this drink?”
Given the reasoning behind all the uproar, is a new version that an odd choice for a man who’s been such a vocal denouncer of R. Kelly?
“Hold on, hold on,” Legend said, before explaining that he and Clarkson weren’t exactly singing the original words. Insecure writer and actress Natasha Rothwell helped him change out some of the more questionable lyrics.