While playing KQ6 for the first time today, I was pretty sure I recognized the background music in the cabin of the ferryman as a theme from Monkey Island 2. Checking the gameplay videos on youtube I found this:

KQ6 ferryman scene
MI2 Drinking Contest

At first I thought maybe these are both variations of a sailor song that might be well known in the English speaking world but the similarity of the scenes (e.g. compare the table made from a barrel with a board on top in both games) leads me to believe it's a direct allusion of Sierra's KQ6 (1992) to LucasArts' Monkey Island 2 (1991). Am I wrong in that assumption?

You're first instinct was correct! The song is called Blow The Man Down.

Ah, thanks for clearing that up! Still a curious coincidence, isn't it? :)

It doesn't hurt that the song is in the public domain.

I wouldn't say so. When we here in the US think of a pirate or sailing song, its the first one that comes to mind...come to think of it, its the only one I can think of.

Actually I tend to think "What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor", or "Fifteen Men on a Dead Men's Chest".

And of course, "Yo Ho A Pirate's Life For Me" since I loved the ride when I was a kid, and noticing all the crossovers between MI2 and POTC. No shock since they have the same source material and the guy who pitched MI the Movie was the chief script writer for POTC.