Both "Ratcliff Highway-3" and "Ratcliffe Highway 1842" are from broadsides composed and sold by well-meaning reformers such as the British and Foreign Sailors' Society who hoped that fresh sailors ashore would read and heed their warnings, and sing their songs to their shipmates after they shipped out again. Some of the language in the songs is somewhat stilted or landlubbery:

There's every colour, indeed 'tis true,
Green, black, and purple, yellow and blue.

Some of these broadsides may have been enjoyed in an ironic fashion by the sailors, similar to how we enjoy the temperence song "Wild Rover." Some may have been folk-processed into the traditional forebitter repertoire and become as salty as "The Maid of Amsterdam."

I have to agree with Q that an entire recording of Ratcliff Highway songs might be boring to listen to after the first three songs. However, that is generally what my group Roll & Go is in the process of doing with our ROLLING DOWN TO SAILORTOWN CD, hopefully to be released this summer.

We're rolling down to London Town,
Yes, we're rolling down to London Town;
We'll cruise through Tiger Bay
And in Anchor Lane we'll lay,
And we're rolling down to London Town!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble