I came across "New York Girls" in Soodlum's 100 Irish Ballads Volume 2 and it is a sea song that I sing fairly often. The song is about an honest seaman being "seen-off" in New York by a "Bowery Girl". You don't necessarily have to be Einstein to work out as to what level the of morals this lady has attained. After this disappointing experience our hero decides to "....stick to rum and beer" and gives us his new-found wisdom, "Don't mess around with woman lads, you're safer round Cape Horn". Quite right too!!
In 2000, this song was taken up by the Vegesack Whalermen with gusto whereby it has been re-titled "Ronnebeck Girls", in honour of their Whalerlady, Suse Wollin, (quite in accordance with the spirit of the times!) and changed all geographical references to places and businesses within North Bremen. That's folk-singing folks! This song may be found in the Tyneside Maritime Chorus songbook

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