I think Christmas songs are great – they get people in the holiday spirit, and they remind me of great memories. Whether a classic hit or a new spin on an old favorite, Christmas music is an awesome genre to enjoy during this time of year. I personally listen to it whenever I drive, or when I’m making Christmas cookies with my family.
There is one song, however, that just grinds my gears. I hate it, I can’t listen to it for more than 12 seconds, and when it comes on the radio, I have to turn the station or I think my ears will explode.
This horrible monstrosity is called “Baby it’s Cold Outside,” and I have three perfectly valid reasons why I think this is the worst Christmas song ever created and approved to broadcast on the radio.
First of all, it’s not even about Christmas.
The song is a duet between a man and a woman who have feelings for each other, and the man is trying to get the woman to stay with him for the night. There is not once a reference to the holidays. Instead, it is just a song that takes place during frigid weather. Why it is always played on the radio and is considered a “Christmas song” escapes me.
Second, it’s the same notes over and over again.
The song gets so repetitive! Listening to this song once makes me feel like I’ve heard it a thousand times over, because each verse sounds exactly the same. The notes are so monotone, the pattern of the verses never changes, and it drives me crazy. I dont claim to be a music expert, but I personally think songs should be a little more interesting and contain a little more variation in notes and pitches.
Third, it’s just plain creepy.
Think about it; really think about what is happening in this song. The woman is trying to get home – she says she wants to leave and get away from this man. She even states that her mother and father are worried about her. The man involved, however, is singing about the power this woman has over him while being very persistent and almost desperate in the way he tries to get her to stay. There is even a line where the woman says “what’s in this drink?” I can’t tell for sure what is going on here, but in my opinion, the song is just too creepily unsettling to be considered a friendly holiday tune.
So don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas music, and it will probably be my most listened to Pandora station for the next month or so. I will not, however, tolerate listening to any of “Baby it’s Cold Outside” because it’s just too creepy, too monotone and too non-holiday themed to be considered a Christmas song in my book. But hey, check out the song for yourself — there’s a classic version by Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer and a newer version by Idina Menzel and Michael Bublé on Youtube.
Photo by Alex Carey
Hmm
It’s not actually a Christmas song. It was not written for Christmas nor does it, to my knowledge, mention the word.
It’s not about date rape. The line “whats in this drink?” is playing on the very common excuse in the late 40’s and 50’s when a ‘honest’ woman got caught in a compromising position, to blame it on a drugged drink. There is little or no evidence that any of these claims were true or not.
If you don’t like a song, good for you. I am inclined to agree that the song ain’t that great. Seems like that is enuff of a reason and all the rest of it is your own insecurities.
I disagree. I happen to really like this song. It’s one of the better Christmas songs. I’d much rather hear it than endless repetitions of Silent Night. As a non-Christian, Jesus is NOT the reason for the season- it’s the Winter Season which includes other religions holidays such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Diwali. Also, if you watch the original YouTube video of the movie clips, they reverse roles and the woman pursues the man, so as a feminist, I don’t find this song sexist or creepy in the least.
Funny article. Interesting opinion. I would like to note though, that just because someone doesn’t think Jesus is the reason for the season doesn’t mean everyone feels that way. This song is good, but perhaps this author does not find it in his or her definition of “Christmas spirit.”