The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #126347   Message #2853158
Posted By: Lighter
01-Mar-10 - 12:07 PM
Thread Name: From SF to Sydney - 1853 Shanties Sung?
Subject: RE: From SF to Sydney - 1853 Shanties Sung?
"The Priest and the Nuns" is reported only by Harlow. I have always had the feeling that it was originally a translation from German or French, possibly because of the tune, which also seems untraditional, at least in the English-speaking world and at least to me.

It is also unusual for an English folksong to focus on priests and nuns, especially in Austria.