Kelly Clarkson defends her remake of 'Baby It's Cold Outside' with John Legend
Kelly Clarkson and John Legend's new version of "Baby It's Cold Outside" has caused controversy, with some upset that their version altered the original lyrics that made some uncomfortable.
On her talk show Tuesday, Clarkson defended the new version, saying the outrage didn't make any sense. Legend's wife, Chrissy Teigen was a guest on the show.
"Because of the #MeToo movement, they pulled 'Baby It's Cold Outside,' from ... a lot of radio stations at Christmas. I love that song!" Clarkson said. "Both John and I have cut 'Baby It's Cold Outside,' the original. We like the original. But we noticed that a lot of people didn't. So we're like, 'Oh, let's just give them another option,' or whatever, and apparently, we killed Christmas!"
The original lyrics play between a woman trying to leave a party and a man repeatedly trying to convince her to stay. Lyrics that have drawn ire in the #MeToo era include "Say what's in this drink?"
"If I can't have my creepy song, it's not Christmas!" added Teigen.
"Honestly, the original doesn't even offend me," Clarkson added. "I just was like, 'Cool, we'll do another version.'"
Earlier this month, the new version of the Dean Martin Christmas classic, written by Legend and comedian Natasha Rothwell, finally dropped, after weeks of buildup. New lines include "It's your body and your choice" and "I want you to stay, it's not up to me."
While some were able to have a chuckle at the song's more comedic moments -- "My mama will start to worry/I'll call a car and tell them to hurry/ My daddy will be pacing the floor/Wait, what do you still live at home for? -- others lambasted the remake. Martin's daughter, Deana, told "Good Morning Britain" that the new lyrics made the song more sexual.
"You do not change the lyrics to the song," Deana Martin said. "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."
