Jeri, totally agree that it's important to keep EVERYTHING accessible in the historical record. They're important waymarkers, and valuable social history, however uncomfortable. As you say, it doesn't in any way mean they should be sung today.

Steve, my agenda is, feeling the need to speak out against the casual use - or defence of the use - of extremely racially offensive words. F-ing and jeffing aren't acceptable on thus forum - why should it be acceptsble for much more damaging language to be bandied about?

And, *I am* discussing the issue in hand - 1) that those are not 'our' (ie white people's) words to use - far from just my view. Any of my black friends, colleagues, neighbours would say the same. Beyond Kendrick Lamar, loads of the major black figure of the last 50 years has also expressed similar views. I take my lead from that.

2) you insisted that it was all about staying faithful to the song, invoking Paul Robeson to grant credence. I've already cited three recorded versions by him where he omits all of those 'contested terms'. I'd cautiously proffer that perhaps most of his recorded versions don't use such language. This isn't a personal attack. This is carefully examining one of the main points you made.