hi jim, what was the name of the book that had that quote?
the verse chant is certainly riding on the melodic riff and chords
as with The Wreck / Back Home in Derry, it's the choruses that set them apart...ie. the two GL tunes don't have any
i suppose traditional folk tune melodies become public domain ie. Greensleeves / What Child is This?
there are many arrangements of WS out there, i dig this one
YouTube - JD Sumner - Wayfaring Stranger
...that piano player must go through a lot of bruelcream