Oh My Darling, Clementine

Oh My Darling, Clementine by Percy Montrose

related portals: Sheet music. sister projects: Wikipedia article. 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).— Excerpted from Oh My Darling, Clementine on Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

In a cavern, in a canyon, Percy Montrose College Songs (Waite, 1887).djvu|page=22

College Songs (Waite, 1887)

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,

You are

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,
Stubbed her toe 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

In a corner of the churchyard,
Where the myrtle boughs en twine,
Grow the roses and the posies,
Fertilized by Clementine.

Refrain

Then the miner, forty-niner,
Soon began to peak and pine,
Thought he oughter join his daughter,
Now he's with his Clementine.

Refrain

In my dreams she still doth haunt me,
Robed in garments soaked in brine;
How in life I used to hug her,
Now she's dead, and I draw the line.

Refrain

Cle-men-tine, Cle-men-tine, Clemen-Cle-men-time.

tine, Cle-mentine, Cle-mentine, Clemen-Cle-men-time.tine, Cle-mentine, Oh Cle-mentine, Oh Clemen-Cle-men-time.

Cle-men-tine, Oh Cle-men-tine, Oh Clemen-Cle-men-time.

tine, Cle-mentine, Oh Cle-mentine, Oh Clemen-Cle-men-time.

Cle-men-tine, Oh Cle-men-tine, Oh Clemen-Cle-men-time.

Version by Barker Bradford (1885)

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,

Thou art lost for me forever,

Dreadful sorry, Clementine.

Her noble father was the foreman

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

Humorous Version (last verse)

Listen Boy Scouts, heed the warning

In this tragic tale of mine,

Artificial respiration,

Would have saved my Clementine!

Slightly different verses from other versions

...

Walking lightly as a fairy,

Though her shoes were number nine

Sometimes tripping, lightly skipping,

Lovely girl, my Clementine.

...

There's a churchyard on a hillside,

Where the flowers bloughs entwine,

They grow roses amongst the posies,

Fertilized by Clementine

...

How I missed her! How I missed her,

How I missed my Clementine,

But I kissed her little sister,

I forgot my Clementine.

...

Thought I missed her, til I kissed her

Little sister that one time

Now I hardly think about her

My poor darling, Clementine

...

I'm so lonely, lost without her,

Wish I'd had a fishing line,

Which I might have cast about her,

Might have saved my Clementine.

...

In my dreams she still doth haunt me,

Robed in garments soaked with brine,

Then she rises from the waters,

And I kiss my Clementine

...

Now you kids [or Scouts] may learn the moral

Of this little tale of mine

Artificial respiration

Would have saved my Clementine

This work published before January 1, 1923 is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.