© 2024 WFIT
Public Radio for the Space Coast
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Lydia Liza and Josiah Lemanski - Baby It's Cold Outside

"Baby It's Cold Outside," written in 1944 by Frank Loesser, has developed a creepy vibe over the years. Songwriters Lydia Liza and Josiah Lemanski revised the lyrics to emphasize the importance of consent in sexual relationships, but they didn't expect the song to go viral. We loved it so much that we invited the duo to perform their version live in The Current studio. Buy the song anywhere online via Rock the Cause Inc. 501c3 ​– a portion of net proceeds will benefit the Sexual Violence Center and the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence. 

With whimsy, respect and playful infatuation, the duo approaches a serious subject concerning a woman’s right to consent. Unlike the male character in the original 1940’s version, the modern man puts his love interest’s boundaries, before his own desires.

In Liza and Lemanski's version, the male voice responds to the female one with lines like, "Baby, I'm fine with that" and "You reserve the right to say no." He also clarifies that the only thing in her drink is “Pomegranate La Croix”. She leaves when she wants to, and in an adorable twist, they agree to meet the again at the Cheesecake Factory.

"'Baby It’s Cold Outside' is such a huge staple of our culture," says Liza, "we thought there were too many questions — does she stay? It doesn’t really sound like she enjoys this... what is in her drink? We felt the outdated rhetoric needed to be changed."

"I think this reflects a need for conversation," agrees Lemanski, who came up with the idea to rewrite the lyrics. "Recent events in the past year have brought this issue up, and it hasn't been comfortable. I think this shows that maybe we are ready to talk about difficult things more openly and hopefully take responsibility for what’s going on."

Released for download worldwide via Rock the Cause Records, a nonprofit record label, proceeds will go to domestic violence and sexual assault related charities - Sexual Violence Center of MN, National Center to End Sexual Violence, and RAINN.

Download - Amazon iTunes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amK4U4pCTB8