It predates Ralph McTell in UK. Isla Cameron would often sing it to round off her set at the old Ballads & Blues Club at the Princess Louise, about 1956-7, intentionally to wind up Ewan MacColl who tried to impose a rule that only Americans might sing American songs: I recall his once shaking his head at her more in sorrow than in anger and promising her 50 lashes at the gangway if she ever did it again! I loved her singing of it and have been singing it ever since. It is the final track, under title Red Apple Juice, with acknowledgments to [& in memory of] her, on my Butter&Cheese&All record [originally a Brewhouse cassette, now remastered on CD]; & I have put it up for all to hear on my Youtube channel ~~

http://www.youtube.com/user/mgmyer

~Michael~