One could argue that the perfect holiday-themed soundtrack is a pivotal element of any Christmas celebration. Regardless of our religious backgrounds, many of us have accumulated a number of Christmas song favorites, and a number of iconic artists have released entire Christmas albums —John Legend, Chance The Rapper, Cee-Lo Green and Jim Jones to name a few.
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Frank Loesser's 1944 hit, "Baby, It's Cold Outside" is widely considered a Christmas song classic. Artists such as Michael Bubble and Lady Gaga have covered the duet in which a man tries to dissuade a female companion from leaving a party despite repeated protestations. A quick search on Urban Dictionary reveals that the song has been labeled a "Christmas Date Rape" song. "What's in this drink?" the woman sings. "Mind if I move in closer?" her male companion replies. "What's the sense in hurtin' my pride?"
In a controversial and headline-grabbing move, WDOK-FM, "Cleveland's Christmas station," has announced that it has banned the tune in light of the #MeToo movement due to what they describe as its predatory nature. Desiray, a host from the radio station, told CNN, "People might say, 'Oh, enough with that #MeToo,' but if you really put that aside and read the lyrics, it's not something that I would want my daughter to be in that kind of a situation." She went on to say, "the tune might be catchy, but let's maybe not promote that sort of an idea."
Glenn Anderson, another WDOK-FM host, took to the station's website to write: "Now, I do realize that when the song was written in 1944, it was a different time, but now while reading it, it seems very manipulative and wrong. The world we live in is extra sensitive now, and people get easily offended, but in a world where #MeToo has finally given women the voice they deserve, the song has no place."
What are your thoughts on the matter?