My Ears Are Bleeding

A while ago i was going to write a mini-post about how much i was enjoying the Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald version of "Baby It's Cold Outside" (I'm also a big fan of Johnny Mercer and Margaret Whiting). How the sweetness and sensuality of the song is something that you can rarely find in the current culture (and probably that is the reason for the song's popularity and staying power). Now days, it is very rare to come across a subtle piece of music, tv show, or film. Mostly the product either hits you over the head with the message or wraps in a nice bow and produces a saccharine version of reality.

There is this perfect balance of sexy innuendo and innocent banter in "Baby It's Cold Outside".

I ought to say no, no, no, sir - Mind if I move a little closer
At least I'm gonna say that I tried - What's the sense in hurting my pride
I really can't stay - Baby don't hold out
Ahh, but it's cold outside

The effectiveness of the song depends as much on the lyrics as it does on the delivery of the lyrics. The song is a gentle volley of flirtatious exchanges. Each singer must play off one another to get the right tone of the song across. She's hesitant (we know she wants to stay) and his insistent. It creates the tension of will she stay or go? That's why the Dean Martin version (where he sings with a whole chorus of women) doesn't work, the intimacy and urgency is gone the song is generic with no suspense (he can't make the whole chorus stay!).

Another version that really doesn't work, actually it fails miserably, is done by Jessica "I have no creative bone in my body" Simpson and Nick "I'm Jessica Simpson's husband" Lachey. I couldn't even listen to the whole song, it was so awful i had to turn it off. It seems that Simpson cannot get through a song without panting like an out of breath dog. There is no chemistry between the very sexy duo (please note the sarcasm) and it's not like they are in love, oh wait... It seems like they were singing at each other instead to each other; there was no natural rhythm, no real interaction, no passion and no personality. The song fell completely flat. Once again the sensuality that should have come from the performance of the song was sacrificed for a "sexy" photo shot of Jessica seductively lifting up her shirt. Video killed the radio star, indeed.