☝️ Key Points
- The song is a dialogue between a man and a woman, in which the man tries to convince the woman to stay despite her initial refusal.
- The man uses the cold weather and charming compliments as arguments to persuade the woman to stay.
- The woman expresses multiple concerns regarding the opinion of her family, her neighbors, and potential future consequences.
- The song has a tension that goes from the woman's desire to leave to her decision to stay. It is unclear whether she decides to stay of her own free will or due to societal pressure.
- The song lyrics can be interpreted as a game of seduction or as a portrayal of societal pressure on women.
Interpretation
The lyrics of 'Baby It's Cold Outside' by
Dean Reed are about a flirtation between two people during a cold winter night. The song is a dialogue between a man and a woman. The woman says several times that she has to leave, but the man tries to convince her to stay a little longer, using the cold weather as a reason.
The line 'I really can't stay - Baby it's cold outside' shows the woman's conflict between her desire to leave and the temptation to stay. The man uses charming compliments and romantic gestures to persuade her, such as 'I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice' and 'Your eyes are like starlight now'.
However, the woman emphasizes again and again that she has to go, concerned about what her family and neighbors might think, as in the line 'The neighbors might think - Baby, it's bad out there'. She also shows her concerns about the consequences of her decision, as in the line 'There's bound to be talk tomorrow - Making my life long sorrow'.
However, the man remains persistent in his belief that she should stay and tries to use the cold weather to his advantage. He warns her that she would freeze outside, as in the line 'I've got to go home - Oh, baby, you'll freeze out there'.
The song ends with the woman finally giving in and deciding to stay a little longer. However, this is open to interpretation and can be seen as a game of seduction or as a portrayal of the societal pressure exerted on women.