Joe’s and Dave’s mention of the Kate Rusby version prompts me to tell a wee story from Stonehaven Folk Festival (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) a few years back. In a session in the Marine Hotel, down by Stonehaven harbour, (of all places!) some chap sang this very gentle, syrupy version of “Ranzo”.
One of the locals turned to him after he’d finished, and said “Whaur did ye learn that? Ye dinna sing it like that, laddie, it’s a sea shanty!” to which the singer replied “I learned it off a Kate Rusby CD”……..