Bob (Deckman),

As an audience member, it wouldn't bother me to have the lyrics changed to suit the times -- after all, that's a fine old folk tradition, and the performer's ingenuity can be a lot of fun. But it also seems shame to hide lyrics that are such a reflection of a time and culture, or worse to stop playing a song at all! Perhaps the venue might be a deciding factor. If it's an educational and historic event, then the old lyrics might be best and perhaps even explained.

But for a purely social venue, I think I'd rather hear something that wasn't going to offend the audience members.