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John Legend has finally dropped his cover of the Christmas song “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” featuring Kelly Clarkson and already, some people don’t approve.

When the remake was announced back in October it was revealed that Legend would be tweaking the lyrics because the original version sung by Dean Martin and Marilyn Maxwell insinuated date rape. Part of the original lyrics, which have Maxwell leading and Martin responding, reads:

“The neighbors might think (Baby, it’s bad out there)
Say, what’s in this drink? (No cab’s to be had out there)
I wish I knew how (Your eyes are like starlight now)
To break this spell (I’ll take your hat, your hair looks swell)
I ought to say, “No, no, no, sir” (Mind if I move in closer?)
At least I’m gonna say that I tried (What’s the sense of hurtin’ my pride?)”

Legend has been a consistent male voice in the #MeToo movement, which shines light on victims of sexual assault and abuse. Many people held their breath to see if he’d update the lyrics to a dated song and he met people’s expectations. The singer enlisted comedian Natasha Rothwell to help him rework the lyrics, so now they read:

“What will my friends think? (It’s your body and your choice)
If I have one more drink? (It’s your body and your choice)
Ooh you really know how (Your eyes are like starlight now)
To cast a spell (One look at you and then I fell)
I ought to say, “No, no, no, sir” (Then you really ought to go, go, go)
At least I’m gonna say that I tried (Well, Murray, he just pulled up outside)”

 

Once the song was officially released on Friday, surely some folks who advocate for the #MeToo movement were satisfied. However, there were a select few people who weren’t willing to break from tradition and they labeled Legend’s lyrics as too politically correct or even too “woke.”

Even before the song was released, the daughter of Dean Martin, Deana Martin, slammed Legend’s remake.

“You do not change the lyrics to the song,” Martin told “Good Morning America”. “I think what he’s done is, he’s stealing the thunder from [composer] 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.”

Check out some of the other reactions to Legend and Clarkson’s remake below.

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