Wherever there's a noticeable difference, Lloyd's lyrics really are superior to those of his sources, direct or conflated. The improvements are always tactful and often no more than a few words. That makes them more palatable.

Of course, if all one cares about is a "good song" as experienced in the here and now, there's no problem.

The difficulty is for those who, long ago, were led to "study" (as Nick Dow says) Lloyd's versions as the real McCoy. The invention of imaginary, named informants is inexcusable. Why not just say, "This is my version of an old song that blah blah blah blah...."

Presumably because Lloyd saw himself as the spokesman of mute, inglorious Miltons. Who, in such cases, didn't quite exist.

Others thought of themselves in much the same way, but without the scholarly veneer.

We can absolve Lloyd and MacColl of responsibility for the "fertility" stuff. That had been the orientation of many romantic, academic folklorists for decades.