Does "Baby It's Cold Outside" deserve a second chance?

The holiday hit has been reviled of late, but are critics hearing it wrong?

By Mary Elizabeth Williams

Senior Writer

Published December 5, 2018 3:00PM (EST)

 (AP/Harry Harris)
(AP/Harry Harris)

Salon introduces questions of the day, where we invite you to lead the conversation.

Taking a page from the classic "war on Christmas" whipped up hype, it's fast becoming an annual tradition to debate the appropriateness of "Baby, It's Cold Outside." The holiday classic is, to many, a playful dance of seduction. To others, it's a musical ode to coercion. Last week, Cleveland radio station Star 102 announced it was dumping the song from its playlist, claiming it now "seems very manipulative and wrong."

Do you think the song has outlived its relevance, or should it maintain its place on the seasonal song list?


By Mary Elizabeth Williams

Mary Elizabeth Williams is a senior writer for Salon and author of "A Series of Catastrophes & Miracles."

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Baby It's Cold Outside Christmas Holiday Songs #metoo