Sorta like the way the "Jew's Harp" has now become the "jaw's harp," or some other euphemism. Sometimes it's understandable, sometimes it appears to be just plain silly.

Right now, coincidentally, I am going through a crisis of conscience on a personal level:

For around fifty years, I've had a song spinning around in my brain that I always liked - ever since I was quite young and, admittedly, did not comprehend all the lyrics. I said to myself that one day, I would learn it on my guitar and have a little fun with this comedic ballad. In fact, it was someone on Mudcat who actually took the time to transcribe the song musically and post the chords. I eagerly worked on the song day in and day out, thinking I would do it at one or two singarounds coming up in May.

Then one day I thought to myself, "Wait just a minute - what are these lyrics really saying? What is this song really about?" The answer was pretty much inescapable: Rape. Anyway I looked at it, this was it: Rape. Or "date rape." Call it whatever you will.

So, a song which I used to think of as comedic has now taken on quite a different meaning to me. Don't know if I will ever sing it in public, but I haven't quite made up my mind about this...

And the song in question? Madeira, M'dear by Flanders and Swann.

Jay