I find myself agreeing with Mike Yates' conclusion, that we should respect these songs as historical record but be cautious about performing them. Both attitudes and language have changed, and songs which may once have been written and performed with no offence intended, or perhaps taken, cannot now be viewed through our modern sensibilities in the way they were by previous generations.

It is even more difficult where offence was perhaps intended. Several versions of "Little Sir Hugh" make it clear that it was a ritual murder of a Christian child by a Jew. The same story turns up in Chaucer, and was reinforcing not just anti-semitic feeling the way we might interpret it now but the teaching of the Church. It's an important song, but Pete and Vic are probably right to be wary of performing it.

On the other hand, if we were to self-censor every song which someone might take offence at we wouldn't be left with very much. I disagree with the prevailing attitude that no one should be offended by anything - it is inevitable that some people will have different attitudes and opinions to one's own, but in a free society they should be permitted to express them.

In the end its a matter for the taste and judgement of the individual. If someone chooses to perform a sensitive song that is up to them, however I hope they would at least have thought through their position on it first.