Here's an article from The New York Times, 27 Jan. 1884 (pg. 10).

It contains a text of SHENANDOAH that has not yet featured in this thread. Much of what I've cut is redundant waxing about the "wild" and "plaintive" qualities and affects of the songs.

//
MINSTRELSY ON THE SEA.
SONGS WHICH THE REAL SAILOR
SINGS AT HIS WORK.
GOOD MUSIC AND DOGGEREL WORDS WHICH
OFTEN DELIGHT THE HEARERS AND
HELP JACK'S LABORS VERY MUCH.

... The words and music of the majority of the sea songs now in
use were composed gonerations ago. ... The words are, as a rule, mere doggerel,
but there is a wild beauty about many of the airs that leads to the conviction that their
composers were gifted with a rude sort of musical
inspiration. ...
Jack is very proud of tIle songs which he has inherited
from his predecessors, but he rarely sings
them except on shipboard. ... The sea airs have
had very little chance to become popular
on shore, owing to the fact that comparatively
few landsmen have ever heard them....
The genuine sea songs do not abound
with poetic sentiments. They consist largely of
matter-of-fact remarks and rude legends, with
an occasional rhyme thrown in to give a flavor
to the words....
The most popular of the sea songs are known
as "shanties." Whether this is an original word
or is a corruption of "chants" it would be difficult
to say. Whenever the sailors heave up the
anchor, or man the pumps, or undertake some
difficult operation which requires the use of the
capstan they are apt to indulge in "shantying."...
The "shantyer," or soloist,
chants one or two rude Iines and is followed by
his comrades in a brief chorus. In nearly all
shanties there are two choruses, which are sung
alternately.
//

Interesting, the use of the word "shantyer."

//
The following is a portion of one of
the most popular of the shanties:

Shanadore is my native valley,
Chorus--Hurrah, rolling river,
Shanadore I love your daughters,
Chorus -Ah-ha, bound away 'cross the wild Missouri.
For seven long years I courted Sally,
Hurrah, rolling river,
Seven more and I could not get her,
Ah-ha. bound away 'cross the wild Missourl.
Seven long years I was a 'Frisco trader,
Hurrah, rolling river,
Seven more I was a Texas ranger.
Ah-ha, bound away 'cross the wild Missourl.
//

Next is MR. STORMALONG described.

//
...
Another beautiful sea air is known as "Storm-along."
... In the words of the librettist
of the song which immortalized him,
Storm-along "gave his sea boys plenty of rum."
The shantyer's face invariably glows with enthusiasm
when he reaches this line, while the
chorus of "Aye, aye, aye, Mr. Storm-along,"
which follows is given with a will. ...
//

And LOWLANDS AWAY

//
A very touching sea air is known as "Lowlands Away." The choruses
of this are "Lowlands Away, my John," and "My dollar and a half a day." ...
//

The next part is interesting because it seems to suggest that the Civil War era MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA, contrary to what we'd probably assume, has only recently become a shanty.

//
One or two land songs have of late years been
transformed Into shantys. "Marching Through
Georgia" is becoming a great favorite with Jack,
although the air of this does not compare with
those of several of his shantys. The song in
which a young man meets a pretty maid, who,
upon being cross-examined, informs him that her
face is her fortune, and in a very pert and forward
manner says: "Nobody asked you, Sir" when he announces his disinterested Intention of
marrying her, has, after some alterations and
renovations been transformed into a shanty,
with the following somewhat irrelevant chorus:
"I was bound for the Rio Grande."
//

The last was RIO GRANDE, with the Mother Goose-y "milkmaid" theme that Harlow also documented.

And LEAVE HERE JOHNNY.

//
There is however, one shanty the words of which were very appropriate. This is rarely sung except by the crew of some sinking vessel who are about to abandon her. Those who have heard it under these circumstances say that it Is very touching. It begins as follows:

She's a gallant ship with a gallant crew,
Chorus.-Leave her, jollies, leave her.
She's a gallant ship. so's her Captain, too,
Chorus.-Oh! It's time for us to leave her.
//

The next section seems to be describing "sweatin' up" chants or sheet shanties. However, the author, possibly, gets mixed up when s/he puts HANGING JOHNNY and WHISKEY JOHNNY in the category.

//
There are a number of songs which sailors sing
while hauling on the ropes which are not called
shantys, but are in many respects similar to the
latter. The soloist chants a line, and his comrades
follow with a chorus, at the last word of which they give the rope a terrific tug. One of
these songs is known as "Hanging Johnny." Although the air is singularly sweet
the words breathe forth a most diabolical
spirit. The soloist, in somewhat plaintive
tones, announces the fact that he Is
called "Hanging Johnny." His comrades
encourage hIm by exclaiming: "Hurrah,
heigho!" He then states that his acquaintances
conferred upon him the title mentioned for the
reason that he has hanged a large number of persons.
A fit of hanging enthusiasm seizes the
members of the chorus, who yell: "Hang, boys, hang." 'The soloist then proceeds to relate a few of his achievements in the hanging line. He
states unblushingly that after hanging his poor
old father by the neck until he was dead,
he strung up his venerable and sainted
mother. He then turned his attention
to his kinsmen and friends, whom, by
the aid of a noose artistically handled,
he succeeded in jerking from this world into the
next. He afterward in the same manner cut
short the days of an estimable young woman
whom he mentions rather tenderly as "sweet
Nelly."

Another rope-hauling song begins with
the announcement that "Whisky is the life
of man," and points out the numerous
advantages which may be obtained from
a Iiberal consumption of corn juice.
When seamen are called out on a cold night
to make sail, one of them is apt to start the
whisky song. They all smack their lips occasionally
by way of a hint to the Captain, and the
line, "I drink whisky when I can," is given with
emphasis.
//

PADDY DOYLE, with a fairly unique (?) lyric:

//
There are a number of similar songs
which are rarely used except when the seamen
are hauling on the ropes.
When seamen furl one of the larger sails it
requires their united efforts to roll the canvass
up on to the yard. For the final effort they stimulate
themselves by a brief chant at the last word
of which all pull together. In the selection of
the two sets of words which Jack has set to
this chant he has displayed his love of
honesty and truthfulness. One version of
the yard-arm chant is "Wea-hay-hay; we
will pay Paddy Doyle for his boots."
The composer of these words undoubtedly owed
a man named Patrick Doyle for a pair of boots,
and he took a public occasion for announcing
his intention of paying for them like an honest
man. The other version of the chant is "Wea-hay-
hay; oh, my wife she's a devil for gin." The
composer of this sentiment was doubtless thinking
of his wife when he first gave utterance to
the immortal line. He wanted to say somethillg
about his life partner, but as he could relate
nothing good of her, and being a truthful man
he mentioned the peculiarity which he deemed
most characteristic of her.
//

Brief mention of forecastle songs, with "The Dreadnaught" as an example:

//
There are a few songs which Jack reserves for
forecastle use, but he only indulges in these on
rare occasions. There is one quite popular ballad,
the words and music of which were composed
by a foremast hand on the famous packet ship
Dreadnaught which ran between this port
and Liverpool a number of years ago. The song Is
descriptive of one of the Dreadnaught's voyages
from Liverpool to New-York. ...
//