Oh My Darling, Clementine

"Oh My Darling, Clementine" is an American western folk ballad usually credited to Percy Montrose (1884), though sometimes to Barker Bradford . The song is believed to have been based on another called Down by the River Liv'd a Maiden by H. S. Thompson (1863).

The words are those of a bereaved lover who has lost his darling, the daughter of a goldrush miner (an "eighteen-forty-niner"), in a drowning accident -- though he consoles himself towards the end of the song with Clementine's "little sister".

Oh My Darling, Clementine quickly became popular, especially with scouts and other groups of young people, as a campfire and excursion song, and there are several different versions of the words. The lyrics most often sung are those shown below:

Lyrics

In a cavern, in a canyon,

Excavating for a mine

Dwelt a miner forty niner,

And his daughter Clementine.

Refrain:

Oh my darling, oh my darling,

Oh my darling, Clementine!

Thou art lost and gone forever

Dreadful sorry, Clementine.

Light she was and like a fairy,

And her shoes were number nine,

Herring boxes, without topses,

Sandals were for Clementine.

Refrain

Drove she ducklings to the water

Ev'ry morning just at nine,

Hit her foot against a splinter,

Fell into the foaming brine.

Refrain

Ruby lips above the water,

Blowing bubbles, soft and fine,

But, alas, I was no swimmer,

So I lost my Clementine.

Refrain

How I missed her! How I missed her,

How I missed my Clementine,

But I kissed her little sister,

I forgot my Clementine.

Refrain

Older Version of the Lyrics

In the centre of a golden valley,

Dwelt a maiden all divine,

A pretty creature a miner's daughter

And her name was Clementine.

Refrain

Oh my darling, oh my darling,

My darling Clementine,

You are lost for me forever,

Dreadful sorry, Clementine.

Her noble father was the forman

Of ev'ry valued mine,

And ev'ry miner and ranchman

Was a brother to Clementine.

The foreman miner, an old forty niner,

In dreams and thoughts sublime,

Lived in comfort with his daughter,

His pretty child Clementine.

When far away, he would often pray

That in his sunny clime

No harm might overtake her,

His favorite nugget, Clementine.

When the day was done and the setting sun

Its rays they ceased to shine,

Homeward came the brawney miner

To caress his Clementine.

None was nearer, none was dearer,

Since the days of forty-nine

When, in youth, he had another

Who was then his Clementine.

She led her ducks down to the river,

The weather it was fine,

Stubbed her toe against a sliver,

Fell into the raging brine.

He heard her calling: father,

Her voice was like a chime,

But alas he was no swimmer,

So he lost his Clementine

External link

Other words and MIDI sound files