'Absolutely absurd': Dean Martin's daughter objects to John Legend's 'Baby It's Cold Outside' rewrite
Fans are thrilled that Kelly Clarkson and John Legend have recorded a Christmas duet together, but others are questioning John's decision to change the lyrics of the song they've recorded -- including the daughter of the artist who made the song famous.
As previously reported, Kelly and John have cut an updated version of "Baby It's Cold Outside," for the upcoming deluxe reissue of Legend's holiday album, "A Legendary Christmas."
In an attempt to address the song's controversial reputation, any lyrics that seem to suggest that the woman in the song is being coerced or even drugged into staying with the man have been changed.
Legend told Vanity Fair the rewritten song contains the following exchange:
"Kelly: 'What will my friends think … 'John: 'I think they should rejoice,'Kelly: ' … if I have one more drink?'John: 'It’s your body, and your choice.'"
But Deana Martin, the daughter of legendary crooner Dean Martin, who recorded perhaps the most popular version of the song, is critical of the changes.
In an interview with the U.K. TV show Good Morning Britain, she calls the idea "absolutely absurd."
"You do not change the lyrics to the song," Martin said. "He's made it more sexual with those words ... and I think what he's done is, he's stealing the thunder from [composer] 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."
"[My dad] would say it's absurd. I think that John should just have left it alone," Martin added, while acknowledging that John Legend is "fantastic" and "a great writer."
Let's see what people say when they actually hear the song -- which comes out on Friday.
