As with most chanteys, any familiar words that scanned could be sung to "Shenandoah."

From The Christian Union (N. Y. C.) (Aug. 3, 1882):

"Ned was singing to queer wild tune as he poled the raft:

      I thought I heard an [sic] old man say,
      Aye, oh! you rolling river,
      To-morrow is our sailing day
      Aye, oh! we're bound away
      Upon the wild Missouri."