Anglo,

I know there is another song titled "Ship in Distress" but the song with that title in the Oxford Book of Sea Songs is clearly the same song as "The Mermaid."

My use of the term "more traditional" is open to debate and is perhaps more of a personal taste issue. The melody supplied for this song in the book is much more sombre and ballad-like than the more upbeat better known version. It has always seemed odd to me that a song about a disaster should have such a cheerful melody. And most people I have heard singing "The Mermaid" slow down that last verse about the ship going three times round before it sinks which leads me to think that either it was popularized that way by some group or that it has been influenced by the Music Hall scene. In either case that kind of dramatization can be said to be less traditional.

I don't pretend to be an expert, Anglo, and I certainly didn't intend my comment to come off as a "holier than thou" attitude. I do sing modern songs too but I find myself drawn to more traditional material.

Regards,
Richard