When you think of your average Christmas song what do you think of? Are you thinking, “oh this is a jolly and warm song about the holidays” or “Oh my god? This is so creepy. Why is this a Christmas song?” Well for the 1944 holiday song, “Baby, it’s Cold Outside”, it’s the latter for a lot of people. 

In 2017 the #metoo movement, a movement that spreads awareness on abuse and harassment of women in the workplace grew. In the holiday season of 2018, the 1944 Christmas song was even removed from some radio stations because it was seen as predatory. Do you think this is justified or could people be overreacting? Is “Baby, it’s Cold Outside” cute or creepy?

In 1944 Frank Loesser wrote the song “Baby, it’s Cold Outside” as a duet for him and his wife to sing during dinner parties. It was only popularized in 1949 when it was used in the movie Neptune’s Daughter. The history isn’t necessarily concerning, but the lyrics can come across as odd to some people.

Take the following lyrics: 

“Say, what’s in this drink?” 

“I ought to say no no no sir.” 

“You’re very pushy you know” 

“The answer is no.” 

Some people believe the man is trying to force the woman to stay against her will, even though the history of the song doesn’t necessarily support that. This reason was the cause of the classic holiday song being canceled. 

In the song, there is a blizzard outside and the woman had no way of getting home besides walking. In the man’s defense, she could have been hurt, gotten sick, or worse. On the other hand though, back in 1944, it was very taboo for an unmarried man and a woman to stay the night in the same house. It was seen as unacceptable. 

Additionally, back then it was seen as a luxury to have a phone. There could be a chance she and her family did not have phones. Even if she and her family had house phones, the lines would be down because of the blizzard. The woman wanted to get home, and her family would worry about her if she couldn’t get home. 

So is the song just about a woman trying to get home in a blizzard so her family doesn’t worry and a man trying to get her to stay the night so she won’t have to brave the elements? Or is it about a creepy man coercing a woman to stay against her will?

I guess that is up to the audience to decide.