"Shenandoah" wouldn't necessarily have sounded very flowery sung rhythmically and unaccompanied by untrained singers at moderate speed while tramping around a capstan.

Besides, the usual words aren't really "flowery." And when crossed with ribald verses from "Sally Brown" it could even be bawdy.

While the melody is truly a great one, its romantic qualities are most evident in orchestral arrangements of the kind we've all heard - but that old-time seamen had not.