It's interesting to note that in his song collection 'The Life of a Man' Ken Stubbs gives a version of 'The Female Drummer' which he'd collected from a woman. He remarks that quite a few of the women he collected songs from knew versions or snatches of the song but that only one man knew any of the song. He also says that it was a great favourite of the women.
There is perhaps also the question of how some songs taking, or apparently taking a woman's position came about. 'Lord Franklin' was probably the work of a Seven Dials hack using the public sympathy for Lady Franklin, but what about 'The Recruited Collier' or 'No courage in him', to say nothing of 'Maids when you're young never wed an old man'!? A testo-powered male fantasy?