I would say go on singing it to a folk audience or in a folk session: it's unlikely anyway that you might be singing it elsewhere. It's a song of its time about things that may or may not have really happened: it's a folksong. We may shudder at other songs that allude to rape, incest, child and adult murder, alcohol and domestic abuse, but I wouldn't say anyone should stop singing them if they so wish: they are all part of the folk tradition. There are some that I would not personally be drawn to singing myself, but it won't offend me if others choose to do so.
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