THE original Academy Award winning song, Baby, It’s Cold Outside, has just been re-released with new “modern” lyrics, but not everyone is pleased.

The song’s been updated?

US singers Kelly Clarkson and John Legend have just released their re-recording of the 1944 track.

Penned by Frank Loessner – the American songwriter who wrote the lyrics and music to the Broadway musical Guys and Dolls – the song gained popularity after it was performed in the 1949 Esther Williams Hollywood film, Neptune's Daughter.

It’s a festive favourite?

Although it makes no mention of the Christmas season, it is regarded as a yuletide song due to its wintry theme.

It’s been well-covered?

Dozens of big names have recorded it, including Dean Martin in the 1950s, Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews in the 1990s and even Rod Stewart and Dolly Parton in the 2000s. It also makes an appearance in the hit 2003 festive movie, Elf, sung by Zooey Deschanel.

But it’s come in for flak over the years?

A US radio station last year removed it from its playlist amid concerns that the song tells the story of a man pressuring a woman into spending the night with him. Susan Loesser, the songwriter’s daughter, recently said that this disappointed her: “Way before #MeToo, I would hear from time to time people call it a date rape song. I would get annoyed because it’s a song my father wrote for him and my mother to sing at parties.”

Legend has modernised the song?

The 43-year-old – who is one of only 15 people to have EGOT status, having won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards – said the song now has a “modern and irreverent narrative”.

It appears on the deluxe edition of his new Christmas album, "A Legendary Christmas."

How has it changed?

The original lyrics of “I ought to say no, no, no, sir (Mind if I move in closer?)" and "Say, what's in this drink?” have been replaced. Clarkson now sings: “What will my friends think…” and Legend replies: “I think they should rejoice,” before she sings, “if I have one more drink?” And he responds: “It’s your body, and your choice.”

Other changes?

The original featured the lines “My mother will start to worry (beautiful what's your hurry?)” This is now replaced by “My mother will start to worry (I’ll call a car and tell ‘em to hurry”.)

Not everyone is on board?

Dean Martin's daughter, Deena, said the altered lyrics "absolutely" offended her, adding: "I think what he’s done is he’s stealing the thunder from Frank Loesser’s song and my dad. He should write his own song if he doesn’t like this one, but don’t change the lyrics. It’s a classic, perfect song.”

She said her father would have regarded the update as “absurd”.

Others agree?

Sharon Osbourne said the concept of re-writing old songs for such reasons was “ridiculous”.

“It’s, to me, like a master painting," Osbourne said. "It’s a piece of art.”

MAUREEN SUGDEN