Scarlet town

From Dave

About
I remember Dave was discussing this song, with Tom - what exactly is meant by Scarlet Town - and by "goodbye" for that matter.  Then he asked Tom - "Why are there so many songs like this"
And Tom answered, wisely and obviously: "Because it happens so much."
Background
And what is Scarlet Town?  I thought Scarlet town is where emotions come from - love, rage for example.  
Possibly the origin is Charlotte Town, or Charleston Town.  The song seems to have come from the Southern states of US.  Outside this area Scarlet may have been substituted for the irrelevant town name.  Or it could have been the other way around.

One version of the text goes like this:

Hey ho the boatmen row
Floating down the river on the Ohio
Hey ho the boatmen row
Floating down the river on the Ohio

Charlottetown's burning down
Hey ho the boatmen row
Burning down to the ground
Goodbye Liza Jane

Ain't cha mighty sorry (Goodbye, goodbye)
Ain't cha mighty sorry (Goodbye Liza Jane)

Black my boots and make them shine
Hey ho the boatmen row
Black my boots and make them shine
Goodbye Liza Jane

Ain't cha mighty sorry (Goodbye, goodbye)
Ain't cha mighty sorry (Goodbye Liza Jane)

There's a gal in Baltimore,
Little Liza Jane
Silver doorplate on her door,
Little Liza Jane

Charleston did burn down (1861) in the civil war.