I'm very conflicted at the moment on a self-censorship issue and would be interested in other people's thoughts.

Basically if you've written a song and know suspect that a friend of yours will think it's about them and possibly be upset, but on the other hand it's a really good song, should you play it at gigs?

To give more of a background, I told a friend of mine I liked her in a bit more than a friendship-kinda way a couple of weeks back and, ever since, I know she's been wondering if songs I've written are about her. On the whole they aren't so there's no particular conflict. But this one, whilst being completely fictionalised, probably was kinda written based on my feelings on what had happened and I suspect she'll know that.

So, on the one hand, I'm thinking I ought not play it 'cos she already thinks I'm depressed at the moment and I don't want to make her feel guilty about everything (especially since it's in no way her fault). On the other hand I'm thinking I can't start just not playing songs in case I offend people 'cos that just leads to self-censorship and blandness.

Thoughts?