Oh My Darling Clementine is one of the most popular folks songs from the 19th century.
It is believed it was written by Percy Montrose in 1884 based on a song called “”Down by the River Liv’d a Maiden” by Henry S Thompson in 1863. It is possible that the tune was first sung by Mexican goldminers, hence the reference to the mines and forty-niners (miners from the gold rush of 1849).
Later in 1941 a Bing Crosby version of the song reached the charts and subsequently it was used in many movies and cartoons.
“Oh My Darling Clementine”Lyrics
Oh my darling, oh my darling. Oh my darling, Clementine,
You were lost and gone forever, dreadful sorrow, Clementine.
In a cavern, in a canyon, excavating for a mine.
Lived a miner forty-niner, and his daughter Clementine.
Yes i love her, how i love her, thought her shoes were number nine.
Herring boxes without topses, sandals were for Clementine.
Oh my darling, oh my darling. Oh my darling, Clementine,
You were lost and gone forever, dreadful sorrow, Clementine.
Drove the horses 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 at last, I was no swimmer, so I lost my Clementine.
Oh my darling, oh my darling. Oh my darling, Clementine,
You were lost and gone forever, dreadful sorrow, Clementine.
You were lost and gone forever, dreadful sorrow, Clementine.