Oh My Darling, Clementine

"Oh My Darling, Clementine" is an American western folk ballad in 87.87D trochaic metre usually credited to Percy Montrose (1884), although it is sometimes credited to Barker Bradford. The song is believed to have been based on another song called "Down by the River Liv'd a Maiden" by H. S. Thompson (1863). History and origins While at first the song seems to be a sad ballad sung by a bereaved lover about the loss of his darling, the daughter of a miner in the 1849 California Gold Rush, as the verses continue it becomes obvious that the song is in fact a tongue-in-cheek parody of a sad ballad. For example, in the second verse we learn that Clementine's feet are so big that she has to wear boxes instead of shoes (presumably because size 9 shoes are not available), hardly a detail that would be mentioned in a serious romantic ballad. Her "tragic demise" is caused by a splinter in her toe that causes her to fall and drown – clearly a ridiculous accident, but told in a deadpan style. Finally, at the end of the song, the lover forgets his lost love after one kiss from Clementine's "little sister". The verse about the little sister was often left out of folk song books intended for children, presumably because it seemed morally questionable. Another theory is that the song is from the view of Clementine's father, and not a lover. Gerald Brenan attributes the melody to originally being an old Spanish ballad in his book South from Granada. It was made popular by Mexican miners during the Gold Rush. It was also given various English texts. No particular source is cited to verify that the song he used to hear in the 1920s in a remote Spanish village was not an old text with new music, but Brenan states in his preface that all facts mentioned in the book have been checked reasonably well. The song is using the melody placed as call for the Romance (music) ballads in the Romancero, in particular the one of Romance del Conde Olinos o Niño, a sad love story very popular in the Spanish folk, some of which were compiled at the court of Alfonso X and others, like the Cancionero de Uppsala compiled later by the House of Trastamara. It is unclear when, where and by whom the song was first recorded in English for others to hear. Lyrics In a cavern, in a canyon, Excavating for a mine Dwelt a miner forty niner, And his daughter Clementine Chorus: 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. --Chorus. Drove she ducklings to the water Ev'ry morning just at nine, Hit her foot against a splinter, Fell into the foaming brine. – Chorus. Ruby lips above the water, Blowing bubbles, soft and fine, But, alas, I was no swimmer, So I lost my Clementine. – Chorus. How I missed her! How I missed her, How I missed my Clementine, But I kissed her little sister, I forgot my Clementine. – Chorus. ---OR--- How I missed her! How I missed her, How I missed my Clementine, Till I kissed her little sister, and forgot my Clementine. – Chorus. ---OR--- How I missed her, how I missed her How I missed my Clementine. So I kissed her little sister, And forgot my Clementine. ---OR--- In a churchyard on a hillside Where the flowers grow and twine There grow roses amongst the posies Flowers for my Clementine. – Chorus. ---OR--- Then the miner forty-niner He began to weep and pine For his darling little daughter Now he's with his Clementine – Chorus. ---OR--- In a churchyard on a hillside Where the flowers grow and twine There grow roses amongst the posies On the grave of Clementine – Chorus. ---OR--- In a corner of the churchyard, Where the myrtle boughs entwine, Grow the roses in their poses, Fertilized by Clementine. – Chorus. ---OR--- In A Tavern in the canyon, Drinking beer and lots of wine, Sat a miner forty niner, Grieving over Clementine. – Chorus. ---OR--- Then the miner forty niner, He began to peak and pine, Thought he oughta join his daughter Now he's with his Clementine. – Chorus. ---OR--- In my dreams she still doth haunt me, Robed in garments soaked in brine. Though in life I used to hug her, Now she's dead, I'll draw the line. – Chorus. ---OR--- Now you Boy Scouts, there's a moral To this little tale of mine. Artificial respiration, Would have saved my Clementine. – Chorus. ---OR--- When she slipped and hit the water 'felt my heart skip a time All had scattered nothin' mattered 'cept my darlin' clementine. – Chorus. Additional verses I took her, on a picnic, Oh, how the Sun did shine. But she’s 'llergic to bee stings To the doctor, Clementine – Chorus. Clementine's gorgeous hair Was so beautiful and fine So I took a pair of scissors, And cut it all off to be mine. – Chorus. Contemporary use The melody for the song has become popular as the rhythm for a number of chants by sports supporters, such as the Barmy Army. Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Huckleberry Hound often sang an off-key version of "Clementine". Line 1 and 2 were sung by Yui in the K-On! anime An instrumental version was used in the movie Back to the Future Part III. The song plays during the opening credits for the John Ford movie My Darling Clementine, with Henry Fonda. It also runs as a background score all through the movie. It is used as background music in another John Ford film, The Grapes Of Wrath, also starring Henry Fonda. A North Korean musical movie from 1972, The Flower Girl, used the song's melody as its main theme. This musical was said to have been written by Kim Il-sung. A birthday version with Chinese lyrics is featured in the 2001 movie Quitting. Excerpts of the song can also be heard in Michel Gondry's film, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Kate Winslet's character, Clementine Kruczynski, complains that people always make fun of her name because of this song. Also subtle emphasis is placed on the phrase, "you are lost and gone forever," to fit with the film's theme. In Star Trek Voyager ("601 Equinox Pt II") The Doctor stimulates Seven of Nine's auditory processor to make her sing a duet of Clementine after his ethical subroutines have been deleted. The melody is used in "Xin Nian Hao Ya", a Chinese New Year song. Music of the song "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", from the Hindi film CID is inspired by this song. The song provides the central musical theme in the 2006 South Korean television drama, Spring Waltz. Similarities have been drawn between the song and the chorus of Cher Lloyd's debut single "Swagger Jagger". This song is also used in one doll of a children's toy called Sing-A-Ma-Jigs. During the Campaign of Zamboanga City Ill-fated Mayor. Cesar Climaco the melody is used in "Ay si Cesar, Ay si Cesar Climaco" sung in Chavacano. It was also sung during his Funeral in 1984. Coincidentally, O my Darling Clementine was the Love Song of Cesar Climaco to his Wife, Julia Floreta-Climaco. On February 8, 1986, the TV series Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales & Legends aired the episode "Darlin' Clementine", wherein Clementine was the only woman in a mining camp and fell in love with a miner named Levis. After a harrowing experience with "The Mountain Man" who wished to take Clementine for his own, her father gave his blessing to marry Levis, and it was as she went to meet Levis that the incident happened. The song is sung during both the opening and closing credits; Shelley Duvall (as Clementine) hums the tune, claiming she had made it up as a kid, and Levis sings a version of it as he returns to the camp to ask her father's blessings, carrying a special gift for Clementine. The story seems to pull elements from both songs, "Oh My Darling Clementine" and "Down By The River Liv'd a Maiden", as Clementine did have a drink before heading to the river and is seen by Levis after the incident. At the end of M*A*S*H episode 22 of season 5, Movie Tonight, the song is sung by all the staff in the operating room after an abortive attempt to view the John Ford movie My Darling Clementine. The Malayalam funeral march "Samayamam Rathathil Njan" by Volbrecht Nagel uses this tune. An English nursery rhyme, "Call the Doctor", uses the tune. Bobby Darin Version Bobby Darin recorded a version of the song, in which he made fun of Clementine's weight, joking at the end of the song that whalers might find her: "Hey you sailor, / way out in your whaler, / a-with your harpoon and / your trusty line, / if she shows now, yell... / a-there she blows now! / It just may be chunky / Clementine". Jan and Dean Version Jan and Dean had a minor hit with "Clementine". It was released under the Dore label (SP DORE 539 (US)) in November, 1959; "You're On My Mind" was the B Side. Tom Lehrer version Tom Lehrer recorded a set of variations on the song on his live album An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer, demonstrating his theory that "folk songs are so bad because they were written by the people." He plays the first verse in the style of Cole Porter, the second in the style of "Mozart or one of that crowd", the third in a disjointed jazz sound in the style of Thelonious Monk, and the final verse in the style of Gilbert and Sullivan. Other versions In 2004 the song was recorded by Westlife on their Allow Us to Be Frank. The song is referenced in the lyrics of two separate songs by Elliott Smith. The first, "Clementine", from his 1995 self-titled album. The second, "Sweet Adeline", appears three years later on XO. Megan Washington recorded "Clementine" in 2010. The song references some of the lyrics from the original. In 2012 Neil Young and Crazy Horse recorded an almost six minutes long, hard rock version of "Clementine" on their album Americana. External Links: