An entirely different traditional song entitled "Ratcliff Highway" can be found in A SEA CHEST, a book or exerpts, poems, and songs edited by C. Fox Smith, pp. 169-171. She describes this song as dating back to the 1840's. The tune is the perennial "Come all you jolly..."
Here's the original words:
RATCLIFF HIGHWAY (Anon., circa 1840; tune: Tune: variant of Scots "Caledoni-o")
Come all you jolly seamen, And listen unto me; Avast a while, I'll make you smile, And tell you of a spree. There's funny craft in Wapping, In streaming colours gay, And Pirates too, and Fireships, In Ratcliff Highway.
So mind those buxom lasses, In their flying colours gay, Or soon they'll clean your lockers In Ratcliff Highway!
The Old Three Crowns I anchored in, Oh such a jolly crew; There's rough and smooth from every clime, And copper colour too. Such lasses there, so neat and fair, With hair both grey and red, Some with no nose and some no teeth, And damaged figurehead.
The Blue Anchor I next entered – A Frigate took in tow; I was run aground, my cargo lost, I found that I must go; I sail'd into another port, And so by the next day My hulk well-rigged and water-tight Was in Ratcliff Highway.
Then there's the Three Jolly Sailors, Such grog there in galore, And lasses too, there's twenty, I think as many more; They foot it there so neatly, But mind, without a doubt, You'll find they'll cut your cable, So keep a good lookout.
The Old Rose and Britannia, Such Frigates there's at hand, There's crooked Loo and squinting Sue, And bandy Mary Ann; There's skinny Nell the yellow girl, And flash Maria neat, There's bouncing Het and brazen Bet That's been through all the fleet.
Then in the famed King William That's in New Gravel Lane, There's Jenny Jones all skin and bones, And ugly Molly Payne; Thick-lipped Kit as black as jet With a bustle such a size, And snuffling Liz, with such a phiz, And Sukey Gravy-eyes.
So all you jolly sailors, I'd have you bear in mind There's Pirate craft in every port, And Fireships you'll find; And if you wish to have a spree, When out upon a cruise, Get moored all right, so snug and tight, In the port of the Paddy's Goose.
And mind those buxom lasses, In their flying colours gay, Or soon they'll clear your lockers In Ratcliff Highway.
Here's my revision of this song, primarily tightening up some of the internal rhyming but changing a line or two as well:
RATCLIFF HIGHWAY (Anon., circa 1840, as adapted by Charles Ipcar in 2005; tune: Tune: variant of Scots "Caledoni-o")
Come all you jolly sailors, And listen unto me; Avast a while, I'll make you smile, And tell you of a spree; There's funny craft in Wapping, In streaming colours gay, And Pirate ships, and Fireships, In Ratcliff Highway.
Chorus:
So mind those buxom lasses, In their flying colours gay, Or soon they'll clear your lockers out In Ratcliff Highway!
At the Old Three Crowns I anchored, Oh such a jolly crew; There's rough and fine from every clime, And copper colour too; Such lasses there, so neat and fair, With hair both grey and red, Some with no nose and some no teeth, And with damaged figurehead. (CHO)
The Blue Anchor I next entered – A Frigate took in tow; I was tempest toss'd, my cargo lost, I made full sail to go; I cruised into another port, And so by the next day My hull well-rigged and water-tight Was in Ratcliff Highway. (CHO)
Then the Three Jolly Sailors, Such grog there in galore, And lasses too, for the whole crew, With dancing on the floor; They foot it there so neatly, But mind, without a doubt, You'll find they'll cut your cable, So keep a sharp lookout. (CHO)
Next the Old Rose and Britannia, Such Frigates there's at hand, There's crooked Loo and squinting Sue, And bandy Mary Ann; There's skinny Sal, the yellow gal, And flash Maria neat, There's bouncing Nell and brazen Belle That's been through all the fleet. (CHO)
Then in the famed King William, That's in New Gravel Lane, There's Jenny Jones all skin and bones, And ugly Molly Payne; Thick-lipped Bet as black as jet With a bustle such a size, And snuffling Liz, with such a phiz, And Sukey Gravy-eyes. (CHO)
So all you jolly sailors, I'd have you bear in mind There's Pirate sort in every port, And Fireships you'll find; And if you wish to have a spree, When you're out on the loose, Get moored all right, so snug and tight, In the port of the Paddy's Goose.
So mind those buxom lasses, In their flying colours gay, Or soon they'll clear your lockers out In Ratcliff Highway.