One of my favorite songs of all time is the timeless hit “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” as recorded by Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer (although written by Frank Loesser). Despite it’s popularity during the winter holiday season, I have found it quite enjoyable all year round because of it’s theme.

The duet is one of music’s best, second only to Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong’s version of Summertime.  While the characters in the song do not have names, the female voice is called “The Mouse” while the male is “The Wolf”.   Here’s where it gets interesting.

The song is a back-and-forth duet of the male persuading the female to stay with him for the duration of the night after their date; her indecisive protests clarify that while she is obligated to go home, she is tempted to stay. That was the polite interpretation.

Upon closer inspection, the wolf employs classic teenage bargaining techniques in order to guilt his prey into staying “the night” and slowly persuades her through potentially-ruffied alcohol.  While the song ends before you know her decision, the wolf’s final statement is a lingering “Ahh, do that again…”

Some of my favorite lines:

• The Mouse, “Say, what’s in this drink?”
• The Wolf, “What’s the sense in hurting my pride?”
• The Wolf, “How can you do this thing to me?”

The thickly-veiled references to sex were very popular throughout music during and before the 60s, but this is the first reference to date rape I can find.  I just hope you think about this song and its intended meaning when your mother and father get up to the karaoke machine, eggnog in hand, and share the mic with this holiday classic.