My Darling Clementine!?!??

rtbuck

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We all know this song but if you check out the lyrics it's really a pretty morbid tale of a girl drowning, then her father takes his own life, & the lover who tells the tale goes for Clementine's little sister while Clemetine's remains are used to fertilize flowers.At the end Clementine comes back in a dream to haunt her lover!!!!
I was in a strange mood the other day listening to Bing Crosby & his version of the song came on & all of a sudden it got a little upbeat & these lyrics came up:

"Ruby lips above the water,
Blowing bubbles soft and fine,
But alas, I was no swimmer,
So I lost my Clementine "
I knew I also had a version of Mitch Miller doing the song(yes,I'm old!) & these are the lyrics that were included with his version:

Clementine

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

CHORUS(after every verse):
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

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

Ruby lips above the water,
Blowing bubbles soft and fine,
But alas, I was no swimmer,
So I lost my Clementine

How I missed her! How I missed her!
How I missed my Clementine,
But I kissed her little sister,
And forgot my Clementine.

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

In a churchyard near the canyon,
Where the myrtle doth entwine,
There grow roses and the posies,
Fertilized by Clementine.

In my dreams she still doth haunt me,
Robed in garments, soaked in brine;
THen she rises from the water
And I kiss my Clementine.
 

Magic

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those are some pretty morbid lyrics. I have heard the song, but to be honest only knew the chorus.

I found these lyrics written in 1884 by Percy Montrose but Wiki had it credited to either Percy or Barker Bradford 1885:


In the centre of a golden valley,
Dwellt 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.


Listen Boy Scouts, heed the warning
Of this little tale of mine
Artificial respiration
Would have saved my Clementine


:lmao:
 

Flower

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I've only heard Bucky's version and have always considered the song to be sort of hooky ... I guess that's because I first heard Alfalfa of the "Little Rascals" singing this tune.


alfalfa.jpeg
 

rtbuck

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I've only heard Bucky's version and have always considered the song to be sort of hooky ... I guess that's because I first heard Alfalfa of the "Little Rascals" singing this tune.


alfalfa.jpeg

I would love an Alfalfa Greatest Hits CD!!! He sang some great ones! I used to love the little Rascals
 

rtbuck

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"Listen Boy Scouts, heed the warning
Of this little tale of mine
Artificial respiration
Would have saved my Clementine"

That's Classic Magic!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

LG

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Another good post Bucky. I never paid much attention to the content and I don't have a version of this one in the library.
 

Alocer

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Wow, I remember it being sung by Bugs Bunny, one of the western episodes I think...
Wow...Like "Ring around the Rosey"...simple yet extremely morbid....
Props for the reminder RT(and Magic :D)!!
 

Minlinks1

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I remember well and when i grew old i never understood why it was supoosed to be a kid song, the lyrics are so sad, unfair and insane
 

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