Hi Dick & Others Let me start a pissing contest here & then bail out after I start it. First off I prefer using my gut, but that sometimes gets me sick & in trouble. Most times I'd just rather enjoy the songs & let them be, once in a while I'll get technical & commit myself afterwards. Presently I've got 2 broken legs so I hope you will all excuse my frequently dropping in, I'll try to curb myself if anyone prefers. Anyway, these songs belong to a group of love lamentations with enough floating verses in common to be considered a family, this group is basedon man's infidelity to his lover & they have been collected throughout England, Scotland & the U.S.. They share this body of floating verses differently with 1 or 2 verses acting as the nucleus with the floating verses orbiting. Because they share the floaters doesn't mean they're different versions of a given song, but that they belong to a common family or a sub group with in a family (Warning Songs against courtship) is more likely. If they share 'Kernel Stanzas' and/or other similarities ( is the woman pregant, is an apron motif present, does she hang or kill her self or did she 'die for love') it would be more likely that they're sharing a similar orgin. The kernel stanza for Waly, Waly would be Waly, Waly love is bonny etc. & for the other it's The water is wide etc. The theme of paying a boatman to ferry bodies or souls is ancient but Over The Water To Charlie wouldn't be a relation, while Fond Affection with it's kernel of The world's so wide I cannot cross it, The seas so deep I cannot wade, I'll just go hire me a little boatman to row me across the stormy tide, seems to have a common parent. Fair & Tender Ladies, Love Is Pleasing & Winter's Night among others would also be part of this family. Enough, under a microscope it's no longer fun, I'm sorry, excuse while I go break a few fingers, good night.