It was the contention of the Shantyman ( Bert Grey of Shetland, sailed on Baltic square riggers in the 30's) I sailed with (and learned much from)in the 60's that "Drunken Sailor" was a show off, virtuoso piece for the shantyman to show off his skill at improvising, and weaving "local colour" about his own ship and anything else he thought of, into the verses. He (Bert) said usually only the opening and closing verses were the "standard" ones, the rest were made up on the spot!!! and I have always avoided singing it, but on the very few occassions I have done so, I have tried to do the same, singing only the standard opening and closing and improvising each verse as I went along.