The lyrics have a certain West Country (Devon or Cornwall) flavor to them if sung with the accent. Not clever but rolls off a cider soaked tongue right proper-job.

Hugill cleaned up many of his bawdier shanties which is too bad, since we have lost verses that were authentic. If you don't sing them, they will be lost forever. Chaucer seems to have survived pretty well though ... speaking of bawdy.

Many a soldier's marching song (Jody) and a rugby song are none too clever but they serve their purposes in their own unique ways: take the mind off laborious repetitive tasks ... or celebrate survival of another muddy ordeal on the pitch. Something like that.

Cheers Brian