Firstly, I've posted the song which prompted MARINER's question HERE.

Secondly: I recall having the same problem with The Flying Cloud. Like the last GUEST, I felt "negroes" didn't work for me. I simply substituted "bodies" - it held the rhythm, conveyed the horror and yet didn't draw attention to itself as, I suspect, "negro", does.

More generally, much of this discussion seems to reflect the difference between preserving a tradition , in the sense of maintaining some perceived, fixed integrity and keeping a tradition alive in the sense of accepting that change is inevitable. In the latter case, we can only try to ensure that any changes WE (as individuals) make contribute to the song's longevity rather than hasten its demise!

Incidentally, MARINER is a great example of just how alive the tradition is.