‘He would be laughing’: Dean Martin’s daughter says father would mock politically correct update of Baby, It’s Cold Outside
The daughter of the legendary singer Dean Martin said her father would not be a fan of John Legend and Kelly Clarkson’s latest rendition of Baby, It’s Cold Outside.
“I think it’s just insane,” Deana Martin said Tuesday on Fox News, about the updated lyrics. “First of all, I love John Legend and Kelly. They’re fabulous entertainers, but what on Earth are they thinking? You know, why change the lyrics to this classic? It was written in 1944 by Frank Lester, it won an Academy Award in 1949. And to me, it is always been a sweet, classy, flirtatious song. There’s nothing wrong with.”
“You know, it’s a cute song, as they say. And just watching my dad do it, he was spectacular and I think he would be kind of laughing right now that this was being changed. It’s a classic song, and I’m sorry that it’s happening,” she said. Martin, herself a singer, added that she sings the song at her own performances.
Martin said she thought Legend and Kelly’s version was “more sexual” than the original. “That’s not Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” she said.
The updated version of the song took out lyrics such as, “Say, what’s in this drink?” and, “No cabs to be had out there,” and replaced them with, “If I have one more drink?” and, “It’s your body, and your choice.” The change has been criticized by some for changing “fun” and “sexy” lyrics to conform to “modern-day political correctness.”
Legend released his latest Christmas album, A Legendary Christmas, last month, which contained his version of Baby, It’s Cold Outside. In a recent interview, the singer compared his #MeToo-sensitive lyrics to his decision not to play R. Kelly in his house.
People declared Legend the “Sexiest Man Alive” in 2019 on Tuesday. “I was excited, but I was a little scared at the same time because it’s a lot of pressure,” the entertainer said. “Everyone’s going to be picking me apart to see if I’m sexy enough to hold this title.”
