I could probably sing an old ballad (short one for me, though) with life and gusto, but it would necessarily be as an impartial narrator.

I've got no experience of incest or murder, but when I sing the Bonny Hind it's as much as I can do to get to the end without choking up. Can't see where impartiality comes into it.

For the message songs I'm with Bellamy, when he said that there are traditional songs saying "how terrible it is to be exploited like this, let's overthrow the master", but for every one like that there are ten saying "isn't life great, let's all work hard". Or words to that effect.