Editing Ribaldry (section)

==Bawdy song==
A bawdy song is a humorous song that emphasises sexual themes and is often rich with [[innuendo]]. Historically these songs tend to be confined to groups of young males, either as students or in an environment where alcohol is flowing freely. An early collection was ''[[Wit and Mirth, or Pills to Purge Melancholy]]'', edited by Thomas D'Urfey and published between 1698 and 1720. Selected songs from ''Wit and Mirth'' have been recorded by the [[City Waites]] and other singers. Sailor's songs tend to be quite frank about the exploitative nature of the relationship between men and women. There are many examples of folk songs in which a man encounters a woman in the countryside. This is followed by a short conversation, and then sexual  intercourse, e.g. "The Game of All Fours". Neither side demonstrates any shame or regret. If the woman becomes pregnant, the man will not be there anyway. [[Rugby football|Rugby]] songs are often bawdy. Examples of bawdy folk songs are: "[[Seventeen Come Sunday]]" and "[[The Ballad of Eskimo Nell]]". [[Robert Burns]] compiled ''The Merry Muses of Caledonia'' (the title is not Burns's), a collection of bawdy lyrics that were popular in the music halls of Scotland as late as the 20th century. In modern times [[Hash House Harriers]] have taken on the role of tradition-bearers for this kind of song. ''The Unexpurgated Folk Songs of Men'' (Arhoolie 4006) is a gramophone record containing a collection of American bawdy songs recorded in 1959.<ref>Sandberg, L. & Weissman, D. (1976) ''The Folk Music Sourcebook''. New York: Knopf; p. 134</ref>