Clementine

[ Roud 9611 ; Ballad Index RJ19148 ; San Francisco, late 19^th century; trad.]

Brian Golbey sang Clementine in 1983 on Tim Hart and Friends’ album Drunken Sailor and Other Kids Songs. This track was later included on their compilation CD Favourite Nursery Rhymes and Other Children’s Songs.

Lyrics

In a cavern, in a canyon,
Excavating for a mine,
Lived a miner, forty-niner,
And his daughter Clementine.

Chorus (after each verse):
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling Clementine
Thou art lost and gone forever,
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.

And light she was, and like a fairy,
And her shoes were number nine,
Herring boxes without topses,
Sandals were for Clementine.

Drove she ducklings to the water
Ev’ry morning just at nine,
Hit her foot against a splinter,
Fell into the foaming brine.

Saw her lips above the water,
Blowing bubbles mighty fine,
But alas, I was no swimmer,
So I lost my Clementine.

Then, the miner, forty-niner,
Soon began to pique and pine,
Thought he ought to join his daughter,
Now he’s with his Clementine.

In my dreams she still does haunt me,
Robed in garlands soaked in brine,
Though in life I used to court her
Now she’s dead I draw the line.

Oh how I missed her, how I missed her,
How I missed my Clementine,
Well I kissed her little sister,
And forgot my Clementine.