I have no objections whatsoever to changing lyrics to fit my needs. If you want to sing a good old song, but not risk offending yourself and others, go ahead and change what you need.

Yes, songs can tell us a great deal about our past, and be great reminders, and instruments of change. But ... they can also, just be songs.

What's it really matter if I change the meaning or message of a song. There are a lot of archivists and revivalists out there to keep the stories alive; when you hear me sing a song, it's just for your entertainment.

These songs must also be preserved in their original state, however. We can't expunge our sins of the past by purging all offensive material from that era.

Paul