Howard Jones wrote:
"When this was first posted I wondered "Why wouldn't you?"

I think the question for me, Howard, is "Why would you?". For me to take the trouble to learn a song and find a place for it in my repertoire, I have to be actually enthused by it, not merely satisfied that it isn't really very offensive. Earlier in the thread various posters discussed whether the question was a matter of censorship or self-censorship, but to me it's neither - it's just making a choice.

There are several contributors here that I know and respect, who find no reason not to sing 'Peggy'. That's fine - like I said, different people draw the line in different places. One old friend of mine sings 'Fanny Blair', and I'm not about to start a fight with him just because I find the song questionable. I don't actually believe in selecting only songs that won't offend anyone (some people are very easily offended!), but 'Peggy' - as Lighter said - makes me a bit uncomfortable, that's all.

As for 'The Wife Wrapped in Wether's Skin', Hedy West seems to have recorded it in 1965, when feminism had yet to make much impact on our culture. I was surprised to hear that Norma had sung it, but then I remembered that she did sing 'Willy Went to Westerdale', which A. L. lloyd at least seemed to think was a version of Child 277. I'm not convinced of that, but whether it is or not, it contains no reference to wife-beating.