Will - I sort of know what you mean; I don't like singing the really pastoral songs like Country Life/The Old Cock Crows or The Oxen Ploughing (I intend to try that one some time, though, because it's such a good tune). But I think you must have lived a very quiet life if you've never been bereaved (Lowlands, Bonny Hind) or dumped (The Week Before Easter) or even temporarily separated (I Live Not Where I Love).

I think it's possible to over-think these things. Very few traditional songs actually begin

Well I woke up this morning, population of England stood at 5,300,420
Earth closet in the back yard and mains electricity hasn't been invented...