What's in this drink?

[gridlore]

It has been pointed out on customers_suck that the wintertime classic Baby, It's Cold Outside is almost a script for date rape. The female (in most versions, evidently there are recordings that reverse the roles) is trying to leave, and the male vocalist won't let her. Indeed, he keeps pushing drinks on her!

Judge for yourself

Comments

[kengr]

I'd give it a definite maybe.

He is offering drinks. But the *tone* (at least in all the recordings I've heard) is pleading/entreating, not trickery.

Alas, in real life, you can't count on that as easily.

I'm *far* more worried about all the books & movies where the female says "no" but is quite obviously intending it to be taken as "try harder".

*That* is far more dangerous.

[notthebuddha.livejournal.com]

I'm *far* more worried about all the books & movies where the female says "no" but is quite obviously intending it to be taken as "try harder".

And that would be different how?

"I simply must go - Baby, it's cold outside
The answer is no - Ooh baby, it's cold outside "

[kengr]

In the song he's trying to persuade her (and yes, the drinks are probably over the line *now*, but not when the song was written).

It the "no means maybe" stuff we are being "taught" that when a women says no, she means "try harder".

It may seem like a subtle difference, but it isn't.

I guess you could (badly) describe the former as "he's possibly being a jerk" and the latter as "He's *expected* to be a jerk".

[(Anonymous)]

Wow. "What's in this drink?" indeed.

And its opposite

[capplor.livejournal.com]

A somewhat more recent tune (vintage 1965-ish) is "In the summertime""

Nice upbeat bouncy, with the really nasty line


"If her daddy's rich, take her out for a meal//if her daddy's poor, you can do what you feel".

(So either the girl is assumed always willing, or she doesn't matter at all. What's important is how much power her daddy has.)

[lizw.livejournal.com]

Good grief. I've never heard that song over here, and I think I'm glad.

[kengr]

Trust me, the bare words come across a lot different than the song.

[lysana.livejournal.com]

Nope. Not date rape. She's talking about leaving, but she'd rather stay.

[pauldrye.livejournal.com]

Actually, I like the song quite a lot. I think it may be because I first encountered it in a live version where the genders were reversed.

The female singing the "male" role was Roberta Carter-Harrison (http://www.thegate.ca/interviews/wild-straw2.jpg) of the Wild Strawberries. Look at the picture at the other end of that link and you'll understand when they threw back to the DJ he paused for a second then said in awe "I'm feeling all warm, and not in a Christmas-ey sort of way".