We have been singing this song for many years without complaint from our audiences. It’s a humorous song, written in the late 1800’s, and contains language that we wouldn’t use today, but none of it is particularly offensive, unless you’re the type of person who gets offended by everything that isn’t politically correct. By nature shanties aren’t politically correct, and changing them destroys their history. Hugill sanitised the lyrics of many shanties, without giving referrals to the original words, thus obliterating them for future generations. The Jim Crow reference is hardly offensive, is likely to be historically correct, let it be, it’s not causing anyone harm or distress. If it should, then maybe you should check your sensitivity?