I remember that I read the Pearl Baily really resented Porgy and Bess because of the use of dialect. She was answered by some wag who suggested that "It is not necessarily so" is not an improvement over "It ain't necessarily so."

I sang "Luck ole Sun" once and never even thoughtt about it. got lots of compliments from a racially mixed audience. I think respect for the song is what works best.

On a different note (get it?) I have wondered about gender issues when the words are specifically about "Her" or "Him" in love songs. Most love songs are understood to be about the opposite sex, but what about the singer who happens to be gay? Should he or she make the gender fit his or her orientation? I have not worked this out yet. Sometimes I think it's best to adopt the attitude that the singer is an actor playing a part and just stick to the script. At other times I want to make a bit of a fuss.
Any thoughts?