One assumes that your friend consulted with Townes prior to his death and obtained permission to change the words to his song, since if he didn't, he's doing something at least mildly illegal, unethical, and to be condemmed by all right-thinking people. And why is lust in a woman so evil? Are only men allowed lust?

Midchuck, I didn't say anywhere that I thought lust in a woman was evil. My friend performs only among friends and has no intention of ever recording anything, and she made a point of telling us that she changed the words. Townes had already passed when she learned the song. What offends her is not the idea of lust in a woman but the idea that lust is the root of prostitution. She's a social worker who has known a lot of hard-luck women, none of whom became prostitutes out of lust. She loves Townes and she loves the song, she's just damned tired of the popular idea that prostitutes do what they do because they like sex.

And no, I don't think it's unethical as long as she is honest about what she did to the song.

And yes, I have listened to the words of "Kingdom Coming". No, they are not as offensive when you "de-minstrelize" them but I still wouldn't sing them in public, at least not without a thorough explanation to my audience, because of the attitudes of the time and because in this part of the country (I live in Texas) you unfortunately can't always be sure people don't sort-of mean it when they sing something like that. Sad but true.