It’s a great song, but if it no longer communicates what it’s supposed to, it’s okay to put it aside.

Communications theory addresses “noise in the channel” that impacts a message’s clarity to the receiver. The sender may call the receiver “boy” but that word means something different to a black man than it does to a white one. The noise in the channel is the receiver’s past experience with the word. If they think it’s demeaning, it doesn’t matter whether the sender meant it to be or not, the message doesn’t get through as intended.

Artists must also be aware that their work can be co-opted, its meaning twisted. Numerous songwriters like Bruce Springsteen have seen right-wing politicians use their songs to promote a message counter to what they intended. “Born in the USA” is not a celebration of American pride but it’s been used that way a lot.