The deep freeze seems to be over for the Christmas classic, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”
Radio stations that had formerly banned the 1944 hit because it was somehow deemed inappropriate in the backdrop of the #MeToo movement, have returned it to the playlist, according to The Washington Times.
Denver radio station KOSI-FM and KOIT-FM in San Francisco reportedly made the decision to reinstate the holiday tune after an earful from listeners demanding its return.
“KOIT’s listeners have spoken, and the overwhelming message is they do want to hear ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ on our station, as they have throughout the years,” the station’s program director, Jim Figula, said Monday in a statement, adding that the move came after about 70 percent of KOIT listeners voted in favor of the song.
“More than seven out of every ten listeners who responded said although some lyrics of the song may reflect a different era and a different sensibility than today, still they love the tradition and history of the song, and want to hear it as part of their holiday season,” Figula said.
The more than 70-year-old song, written by composer Frank Loesser, got caught up in controversy when it was recently pulled from an Ohio radio station because a proponent of the #MeToo movement deemed it offensive.
Cleveland radio station WDOK yanked what Deana Martin called a “cute, flirtatious and romantic song” after one listener complained that the storyline of a man trying to convince a woman to stay at his house despite her objections was highly offensive.
Dean Martin’s daughter has something to say about crazy ban on his ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ classic https://t.co/lW5R1bQx46 pic.twitter.com/55uoc0j08o
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) December 8, 2018
“It won the Oscar for ‘Best Original Song’ in the 1949 film ‘Neptune’s Daughter.’ It’s been recorded by dozens of the world’s top recording artists for over 60 years, including my dad Dean Martin,” the late performer’s daughter said, adding that she would continue to perform it.
“We value the opinion of all our listeners and appreciate the feedback we received,” KOSI program director Jim Lawson in a statement on Fox31. The Denver radio station saw nearly all of those responding to a poll vote to keep the song on the air.
“Respondents voted 95 percent in favor of us keeping the song as part of KOSI 101.1’s tradition of playing all of your holiday favorites. While we are sensitive to those who may be upset by some of the lyrics, the majority of our listeners have expressed their interpretation of the song to be non-offensive,” Lawson said.
Canadian radio networks, including CBC Music, Rogers Media and Bell Media, also decided to pull the classic even as the song’s many fans slammed critics as snowflakes.
“She flirtatiously threatens to leave, while accepting excuses to stay,” CBC columnist Jessica Goddard said, calling the ban “puritanical and absurd.”
“How this is an example of #MeToo, I can’t quite connect,” she added.
Meanwhile, a parody song by the Holderness Family has gone viral with its version, “Baby, Just GO Outside.” Enjoy the hilariously updated 2018, #MeToo-friendly version in the video below:
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Frieda@bizpacreview.com
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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