A version caught on, in 1940s-50s iirc, of one of Benjamin Britten's imo much over-arranged concert-style folk adaptations, operatically rendered by Peter Pears, with tune possibly by Britten himself: probably the one mentioned in OP & following post. Harry Cox's more earthy version, with the "damn near died" bit, sung to a tune v similar to Ye Banks & Braes of Bonny Doone, was generally preferred in folk circles in UK.

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