I am with you Bob..don't change the words unless your back is to the wall. Just say ahead of the song that some words have old meanings.

From Jovial Miners..my hands are horny hard and black from digging in the vein

My preference is to never change the words unless it is an outrageous word that needs to be retired from usage period, or unless it is such an awful rhythm or rhyme it can't be sung and never ever to change from men to women back to men etc. That ruins a song for me. But people can do what they want actually.