Kelly Clarkson & John Legend revise "Baby It's Cold Outside"

John Legend

John Legend

John Legend

John Legend and Kelly Clarkson put their own spin on the controversial holiday track “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” and the reactions from fans are mixed.

The singers teamed up for a revised version of the song as part of the deluxe edition of Legend’s “A Legendary Christmas” album.

The original song, which is viewed as a classic, was written in 1944 by Frank Loesser for him and his wife to perform. It gained popularity when it was included in the 1949 film “Neptune’s Daughter” and has since been covered by a variety of artists, from Rod Stewart and Dolly Parton to Michael Bublé and Idina Menzel. Business Insider reports.

Legend and Clarkson’s version swaps out many lyrics for more appropriate lines in the Me Too era.

In the original song, the male tries to convince the female to stay longer, even though she repeatedly says that she has to return home. In more recent years, people have interpreted the flirtatious song as problematic. The backlash also resulted in the song being banned from radio stations.

Legend and Clarkson’s rendition begins with the “All of Me” singer offering to call a ride for Clarkson, who insists that she has to leave.

As the “Piece by Piece” singer says that her “momma will start to worry,” Legend sings: “I’ll call a car and tell ’em to hurry.”

In response to Clarkson saying her “daddy will be pacing the floor” (similar to the original), Legend asks: “Wait, what do you still live at home for?”

He goes on to tell her that her driver is outside and his name is Murray. The vocalists also address lyrics that mention drinks, which people have criticized for alluding to the man slipping a drug in the woman’s beverage.

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When Clarkson asks, “What will my friends think if I have one more drink?” Legend says: “It’s your body and your choice.”

As the song progresses and Clarkson says that she “really can’t stay,” Legend says that he understands, and she should “text me when you get home.”

He also tells her that she “better go before it storms.”

After the track was released on Friday, people took to social media to share their thoughts on it
Some feel as though Legend and Clarkson’s version is delightful, while others have a varying opinion.

The daughter of Dean Martin, who sang a popular version of ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside,’ recently called the new rendition ‘absolutely absurd’

“You do not change the lyrics to the song,” Deana Martin said on “Good Morning Britain,” prior to the song’s release. “[Legend’s] made it more sexual with those words.”

She continued: “It’s absolutely absurd… and I think what he’s done is, he’s stealing the thunder from 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.”

Listen to the song here.

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