I have a huge peeve about the song "Baby, It's Cold Outside". In fact, I call it the date rape song. I hate that people sing it thoughtlessly and don't notice the lyrics. It is a reprehensible song. Written by Frank Loesser in 1944, it was even given an Academy Award in 1949 for Best Song. In it, 'the wolf', a lusty man, tries to entice 'the mouse', a reluctant girl, to stay past her curfew and...
Well here's the words, emphasis mine, in case you never listened closely to them. This is the mouse's part:
I really can't stay
I've got to go away
this evening has been so very nice
my mother will start to worry
and father will be pacing with fury
so I really better scurry
well maybe just a half a drink more
the neighbors might think
say...what's in this drink?
I wish I knew how to break the spell
I ought to say no, no, no
at least I can say that I tried
I really can't stay
the answer is no
this welcome has been so nice and warm
my sister will be suspicious
my brother will be there at the door
my maiden aunt's mind is vicious
well maybe just a half a drink more
i've got to go home
say, lend me a coat?
but don't you see?
there's bound to be talk tomorrow
at least there'd be plenty implied
I really can't stay...
Okay, annoying little reluctant mousie, didn't your mama ever teach you to mean it when you say no? But now listen 'the wolf''s response:
I really can't stay... but baby, it's cold outside
I've got to go away... baby, it's cold outside
this evening has been so very nice... I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice!
my mother will start to worry... beautiful, what's your hurry?
and father will be pacing the floor....listen to the fireplace roar
so I really better scurry...beautiful, please don't hurry
well maybe just a half a drink more...put some music on while I pour (??!!)
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 to break the spell...I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell
I ought to say no, no, no, sir...mind if I move closer?
at least I can say that I tried...what's the use of hurtin' my pride (really, dude??!!)
I really can't stay...baby, don't hold out
I simply must go...baby, it's cold outside
the answer is no...ooh darling it's cold outside
this welcome has been so nice and warm...look out the window at that storm
my sister will be suspicious...man, your lips look delicious
my brother will be there at the door...waves upon a tropical shore
my maiden aunt's mind is vicious...gosh, your lips ARE delicious
well maybe just a half a drink more...never such a blizzard before
i've got to go home...baby you'll freeze out there
say, lend me your coat?...it's up to your knees out there
but don't you see? how can you do this thing to me?
there's bound to be talk tomorrow...think of my life long sorrow
at least there'd be plenty implied...if you caught pneumonia and died
I really can't stay...get over that hold out
aah, but it's cold outside
So, essentially, he has slipped her a mickey, he's guilting her into sleeping with him by appealing for his loss of pride, and he is essentially threatening her health and safety should she choose to leave. How about offering her a ride home, dude? How about respecting the wishes of her parents that she be safely home in the middle of a blizzard?
Apparently Islamist Sayid Qutb witnessed young people at a church dance writhing and nasty dancing to this little ditty in the early fifties, and he wrote about it in the seminal work, "The America I Have Seen", which became a base text for Islamic radicals, including Al Qaeda. Now THAT is a pedigree.
Too bad the stupid song is so catchy.
