It always struck me as typical of those "straight composer" attempts to write something that sounded like (their idea of) a folksong. Dmitri Tiomkin, and Randy Sparks did a lot of that. E Y Harburg's various musical partners did it as well. I think it was Aldo Monteconne (or something) who did that kind of thing for the "Spaghetti Westerns". The tip off is usually the C to Am (or Em) changes, or when they were being radical..C to Bb. Generally these composers would ALWAYS use altered chords, but not in their "folk" songs.

Other songs of that ilk that come to mind, that some think are actual folksongs are: Greenfields, Green Leaves Of Summer, Summer Wine, Baby The Rain Must Fall, I was Born Under a Wanderin' Star (Lee Marvin..OY!) LOve Me Tender, El Paso etc.

Some of the "fake folk" in Finian's Rainbow, must have struck me as pretty good at one point, 'cause I've got an old songbook of mine with "Look To The Rainbow" in it.

Rick