Wednesday 18 December 2019

Stuff I'm Listening To - Christmas Advent Edition - December 18th - Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews


Artist: Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews

Title: Baby It's Cold Outside

Favourite Lyrics:
There's bound to be talk tomorrow (think of my lifelong sorrow)
At least there will be plenty implied (if you got pnuemonia and died)

Why?:
While I know the original version, this Tom Jones version was the first I'd ever heard. 

Of course, in recent context, even I was "Wow. Dude clearly can't take no for an answer". But it's a narrative. Most songs, books, movies, TV shows, etc. are works of fiction or commentary. This song is a story! A dialogue between two adults! Not all stories have a moral ending. Sometimes they're just there for the sake of being. 

The song is dated. But after a few listens, I was on the "this is just cute and hilarious couple banter" team. The lyrics are funny. Kudos to Frank Loesser for this lovely bit: 'Think of my lifelong sorrow if you got pneumonia and died'. To toss in the word 'pneumonia' into a song deserves some credit! 

Last year people (read: the media) took the issue of this song and blew it out of proportion. Some people took the lyrics out of context and were offended. It got pulled off the air. I inwardly cringed at the fiasco. I had bad stuff going on in my life last year so the pettiness made me hate everyone. Honestly. There's a point where you have to stop and remember not everything from the past is going to fit nicely in the present by our standards. Better to understand that this song was written in 1949. And there are more serious things in this world to worry about than dated song lyrics.

Many things we like are dated. Try watching "A Christmas Story" or "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and not cringe on the cultural and societal incorrect moments. (Need help? The scene at the end of a Christmas Story where Chinese waiters are making an attempt to sing "Deck the Halls". Or the line in 'Rudolph' where his dad tells the women reindeer to stay at home because searching for his lost son was "Man's work." and the whole bullying undertone running through the whole story).

Christmas is about the nostalgia. It brings you back to the times you perceived as happier.

Enjoy the song for what it is, playful, risque banter between two adults and let's move along, shall we?

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