I first heard it sung by Walt Robertson in 1952. Josh White recorded it early on (Walt actually learned it from Josh White in person). As GUEST,Randolph Weiner lines it out above, the two of them sang just verses 1, 2, 5, and 6 -- same ones Joan Baez sings.

As far as it being sung by men, it works fine. I sang it a lot in coffeehouses and nobody gave me any funny looks. I've never really found a problem with a man singing a "woman's song" or vice versa. I think it depends on the "mind-set" the singer gets in. There was a women's group in Seattle some time back that specialized in sea chanteys. They were terrific!

Don Firth