Although I've never received criticism myself for singing traditional songs, I know several women musicians who have been told that the traditional songs they sing are no longer politically correct. The argument is that the old songs often don't portray women in a positive light. I have never had any trouble finding traditional songs that can be used in a feminist context. My favourite is The Outlandish Knight. Often when I sing this one, I receive cheers when the song's climax is reached.

OUTLANDISH KNIGHT
(Adapted from Frankie Armstrong's version)

An Outlandish knight from the northlands came
And he came a-courting me
And he promised he'd take me all to the northern lands
And there he would marry me.

"Go fetch some of your father's gold
And some of your mother's fee
And two of the best horses in the stable
Where there stands thirty and three."

Then he's mounted on the milk white steed
And she on the dappled gray
And they rode till they came to the salt waterside
An hour before the day.

"Light off, light off your steed," he said
"And deliver it unto me
For six pretty maidens I have drownded here
And you the seventh will be.

And take off, take off your silken clothes
And deliver them unto me
For they are too fine, and too rich a gear
To rot with you under the sea."

"Well if I must take off my silken clothes,
Then--oh--turn your face from me
For it is not fitting for such a ruffian
A naked woman to see."

So he turned his face away from her,
To view the leaves so green,
And she catched him by his middle so small
And she tumbled him into the sea.

Well, he swam high and he swam low
Till he came unto the side,
Saying, "Reach down your hand my fair pretty maid,
And I will make you my bride."

"Oh lie there, lie there you false-hearted man
Lie there instead of me
If six pretty maidens thou have drownded here--
Well the seventh one has drownded thee!"

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 22-Jan-02.