Origins/Lyrics: Oh, My Darling Clementine

12 Sep 02 - 03:36 AM (#781819)
Subject: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: Mr Happy

good morning one & all!

i've looked in the dt for this one but there's not a sign of the original,only some other versions with crude,unfunny lyrics.

anyone have it?

cheers,

mr h

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12 Sep 02 - 06:39 AM (#781887)
Subject: Lyr Add: OH MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (1879, 1887)
From: masato sakurai

In the DT:

CLEMENTINE (standard version)

CLEMENTINE (2) (Tom Lehrer)

CLEMENTINE (3) (as sung by The Highgraders, San Francisco, early 60s)

CLEMENTINE (4) (parody; "I owe my darlin' Clementine")

DOWN BY THE RIVER (earliest known version, published in 1863; no reference to mining nor 49ers)

MY DARLING 39 (parody)

From the Levy Collection:

Down by the River Lived a Maiden (1863 original version)

Followed by two versions:

(1) OH MY DARLING CLEMENTINE
Words & music by Percy Montrose
Published by Oliver Ditson & Co., Boston, 1879

1. In a cabin, In a canyon,
an excavation for a mine;
Dwelt a miner, A Forty-niner,
And his daughter Clementine.

CHORUS:
Oh my darling, Oh my darling,
Oh my darling Clementine,
You are lost and gone forever,
Dredful [sic] sorry, Clementine.

2. She drove her ducklets, To the river,
Ev'ry morning just at nine;
She stubb'd her toe, against a sliver,
And fell into the foaming brine.

3. I saw her lips above the water,
Blowing bubbles soft and fine;
Alas for me, I was no swimmer,
And so I lost my Clementine.

(2) OH MY DARLING CLEMENTINE
P. Montrose
From Henry R. White, College Songs (Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co., 1887)

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

CHORUS:
Oh my darling, Oh my darling,
Oh my darling Clementine,
You are lost and gone forever,
Dredful [sic] sorry, Clementine.

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

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

4. Ruby lips above the water,
Blowing bubbles soft and fine,
Alas, for me! I was no swimmer,
So I lost my Clementine.

5. In a church-yard, near the cañon,
Where the myrtle doth entwine,
There grow roses, and other posies,
Fertilized by Clementine.

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

7. 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.

SOURCES:
(1) Richard Jackson, ed., Popular Songs of Nineteenth-Century America (Dover Publications, 1976), pp. 148-151 [reproduction of the sheet music]
(2) Richard A. Dwyer and Richard E. Lingenfelter, eds. The Songs of the Gold Rush (University of California Press, 1965), pp. 199-200

~Masato

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12 Sep 02 - 06:53 AM (#781890)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: Mr Happy

thanks mas san,

it's the 'college songs' version i was after.

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12 Sep 02 - 07:01 AM (#781896)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: Micca

Mr Happy, we tend to sing this to the tune of "Bread of Heaven"("Guide me thou oh Great Jehovah") which it fits rather well and is less dirgelike than the original tune, "Try it, you'll like it"!!!!

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12 Sep 02 - 07:11 AM (#781903)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: masato sakurai

CLEMENTINE by Esmereldy [Realaudio], from The Record Lady's All-Time Country Favorites.

CLEMENTINE by the Browns [Realaudio], from a Japanese Oldies site.

~Masato

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12 Sep 02 - 10:44 AM (#782048)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: masato sakurai

And CLEMENTINE sung by Bobby Darin [Realaudio], from HERE. ....................................................

From The Traditional Ballad Index:

Clementine

DESCRIPTION: The singer reports on the death of his beloved Clementine, the daughter of a (Forty-Niner). One day, leading her ducklings to water, she trips and falls in. The singer, "no swimmer," helplessly watches her drown
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1863
KEYWORDS: death drowning love
FOUND IN: US
REFERENCES (9 citations):
RJackson-19CPop, pp. 148-151, "Oh My Darling Clementine" (1 text, 1 tune)
Fife-Cowboy/West 34, "Clementine" (1 text, 1 tune)
Meredith/Covell/Brown, p. 68, "Mazurka: Clementine" (1 tune)
Spaeth-ReadWeep, p. 85, "Clementine" (1 text, 1 tune)
PSeeger-AFB, p. 27, "Clementine" (1 text, 1 tune)
Pankake-PHCFSB, p. 272, "Clementine" (1 text)
Silber-FSWB, p. 241, "Clementine" (1 text)
Fuld-WFM, pp. 174-175, "Clementine"
DT, CLEMENTI* (CLEMENT3*) (CLEMENT4)
RECORDINGS:
Pete Seeger, "Clementine" (on PeteSeeger24)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Silver Jack" [Laws C24] (tune)
SAME TUNE:
Found a Peanut (Pankake-PHCFSB, pp. 28-29)
Oh My Monster, Frankenstein (Pankake-PHCFSB, p. 219)
Notes: In some of the modern versions, the song ends when the singer kisses Clementine's younger sister and forgets Clementine. - (PJS)
The words to this piece were first published in 1863 under the title "Down by the River Lived a Maiden," credited to H. S. Thompson. This printing had a melody, but it was not the "standard" melody. The text was also rather different (in minstrel dialect); Norm Cohen gives the first verse as
Down by the river there lived a maiden
In a cottage built just 7 x 9;
And all around this lubly bower
The beauteous sunflower blossoms twine.
CHO: Oh my Clema, oh my Clema, Oh my darling Clementine,
Now you are gone and lost forever,
I'm dreadful sorry Clementine.
In 1864 a text appeared in "Billy Morris' Songs" in which Clementine appears as little short of a legendary monster; she is even reported to have grown wool.
In 1884 the piece reappeared, with the famous tune, this time credited to "Percy Montrose," under the title "Oh My Darling Clementine."
Since neither Thompson nor Montrose is known, the authorship of the song probably cannot be settled.
It is reported by reliable sources that this song was originally intended to be serious. No doubt a few thousand enterprising parodists would be amazed. - RBW
File: RJ19148

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2002 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.
...........................................................

Indeed, the "kisssed her little sister" stanza is not in most earlier editions; not in The Most Popular College Songs (1906 ed.), Spaeth's Read 'Em and Weep (1927), and Boni's Fireside Book of Folk Songs (1947), either. But the version in The Scottish Students' Song Book (1897 ed., p. 278) contains the stanza:

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

~Masato

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12 Sep 02 - 10:48 AM (#782057)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy

Bobby Darrin did a vegas version, I'll post the lyrics here sometime

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12 Sep 02 - 11:52 AM (#782123)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: curmudgeon

The version I learned was that posted by songs2play, minus the "sister" verse approximately 55 years ago, when I made my "debut" as a folksinger at the local beach amateur night. Although I've never forgotten the words, I don't think I have sung it since I was 7, but that too was long ago -- Tom

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12 Sep 02 - 12:33 PM (#782176)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: McGrath of Harlow

Does it have a Child Number?

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12 Sep 02 - 06:23 PM (#782458)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: Joe_F

And remember, a pestering sister's a festering blister -- you're best to resist her, says I.

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12 Sep 02 - 09:13 PM (#782599)
Subject: Lyr Add: CLEMENTINE (Barker Bradford)
From: masato sakurai

There's a sheet music of another "Clementine" (New York: Woodward, Willis, 1885) written by Barker Bradford at Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music, 1870-1885.

CLEMENTINE
Barker Bradford

1. In the centre of a golden valley
Dwelt a maiden all divine
A pretty creature a miner's daughter
And her name was Clementine.
Her noble father was the foreman
Of ev'ry valued mine,
And ev'ry miner and ranchman
Was a brother to Clementine

CHORUS:
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
My darling Clementine,
You are lost for me for ever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine

2. The forman [sic] miner, an old forty niner
In dreams and thoughts sublime
Lived 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

3. When the day was done and the setting sun
Its rays they ceased to shine
Homeward came the brawney [sic] 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

4. 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 calling father
Her voice was like a chime
But alas he was no swimmer
So he lost his Clementine

~Masato

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13 Sep 02 - 06:09 AM (#782874)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: Dave Bryant

Extra Verse:

All of you who are life-savers
Pay heed to this tale of mine
Artificial Respiration could have saved my Clementine.

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13 Sep 02 - 07:13 AM (#782896)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: Mr Happy

good one, dave,cheers!

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14 Sep 02 - 01:51 AM (#783675)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: Liz the Squeak

Pedant alert - the tune for 'Guide me, O thou great Redeemer/Jehovah' is 'Cwm Rhonda' by J Hughes, not 'Bread of Heaven' which is by Archbishop W D Maclagan and doesn't scan for 'Clementine'.

LTS - it's my birthday, I'm allowed to pedant.

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14 Sep 02 - 12:12 PM (#783841)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: Leadfingers

And there is no doubt that the best rendition on record has got to be Tom Lehrer.He doesnt care who he insults.

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14 Sep 02 - 02:44 PM (#783928)
Subject: Lyr Add: GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH
From: Gareth

Mmmmm ! - Micca the words of the Welsh hymn are "GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH"

The Tune is "CwM Rhonda"

What is more fun is singing "Jehova" to the tune of "Clemantine"

Words - in Saxon :-

1. Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.

Strong Deliverer, Strong, Deliverer
Be Thou still my strength and shield
Be Thou still my strength and shield

2. Open Thou the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing streams do flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.

Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven
Feed me now and evermore
Feed me now and evermore

3. When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Bear me through the swelling current
Land me safe on Canaan's side.

Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee
I will ever give to Thee

Gareth

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14 Sep 02 - 06:49 PM (#784086)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: Liz the Squeak

Try 'Jerusalem' to 'Linden Lea', it's about the only other tune that fits it and even then there needs to be a subtle bit of tweaking.....

LTS

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28 Jan 03 - 06:10 AM (#876418)
Subject: RE: Clemantine's shoe size?
From: masato sakurai

In the original "Clementine" her shoe size was not mentioned.

"Down by the River" (1863) (from HERE)

3.
Her foot, Oh! Golly! Twas a beauty,
Her shoes were made of Dig-by pine,
Two herring boxes without the tops on
Just made the sandals of Clementine.

~Masato

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See Digital Tradition Version

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29 Jan 03 - 12:29 PM (#877689)
Subject: RE: Clemantine's shoe size?
From: GUEST,Les B.

My hat's off to Masato - I thought I'd seen info about"Clementine" being a college song from 1880 or later, and he's found evidence it was around in 1863! I can now add it to the Civil War set list.

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29 Jan 03 - 12:38 PM (#877695)
Subject: RE: Clemantine's shoe size?
From: masato sakurai

Not that I found it. DOWN BY THE RIVER (with a different tune) is in the DT. The original sheet music is at the Levy Collection (the link is at Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine).

~Masato

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29 Jan 03 - 12:48 PM (#877702)
Subject: RE: Clemantine's shoe size?
From: GUEST,Les B.

Masato - yes, I just went to Levy and printed it out. Also found it in the DT, but wouldn't have known to look under "Down by the River" - Thank you, thank you !

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29 Jan 03 - 12:59 PM (#877707)
Subject: RE: Clemantine's shoe size?
From: dick greenhaus

GUEST Les B.

Titles are a snare and a delusion. If you go to the lyrics search and enter Clementine, you'll find all the versions (plus a few irrelevant lyrics that contain the word. "Oh my darling" will do it, too (without quotes)

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29 Jan 03 - 01:10 PM (#877719)
Subject: RE: Clemantine's shoe size?
From: GUEST,Q

"Down by the River Lived a Maiden" (1863) is in the DT, song ID 1676. H. S. Thompson is not credited as "Composer, Lyricist, Arranger," as he (she?) is on the sheet music at Levy.

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11 Oct 09 - 12:28 AM (#2743281)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: masato sakurai

Oh My Darling Frankenstein (Clementine Parody) [ppt file]

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11 Oct 09 - 12:52 AM (#2743291)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: MGM·Lion

Pedantic note upcoming [it is NOT my birthday — but I can still be pedantic if I want: so SUCKS·BOO!]

'My Darling Frankenstein' commits the *unspeakably ignorant solecism* of calling the monster 'Frankenstein'; which was of course, as eny fule kno, the name of his CREATOR... If this was meant as any sort of ironic comment, it misfires badly.

PEDANTS OF THE WORLD — UNITE AGAINST SUCH ENORMITIES. You have nothing to lose but your Marbles...

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11 Oct 09 - 01:14 AM (#2743296)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: Peace

"You have nothing to lose but your Marbles..."

Truer words wus never spoke.

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11 Oct 09 - 03:45 AM (#2743319)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: GUEST,Tunesmith

Never mind Bobby Darin's version! The definitive version must surely be the one delivered by that true folk legend Huckleberry Hound. Does anyone out there know the source of Huck's version?

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14 Apr 12 - 11:46 AM (#3338212)
Subject: RE: Origins/Lyrics: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: GUEST,Adith

Could U tell me the moral value of this song, please?

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14 Apr 12 - 12:10 PM (#3338222)
Subject: RE: Origins/Lyrics: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: dick greenhaus

About 35 cents.

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14 Apr 12 - 12:39 PM (#3338236)
Subject: RE: Origins/Lyrics: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: GUEST,Lighter

Yeah, but that's in 1860s dollars. It's almost five bucks today!

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15 Apr 12 - 01:35 AM (#3338506)
Subject: RE: Origins/Lyrics: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: GUEST,leeneia

For some reason, there was a strong trend in the 19th Century to write parlor songs where some man was in love with some damsel, who soon died.

Let's see:

When you and I were young, Maggie.
Colorado Trail
Listen to the Mockingbird
Annie Gray, Laura Gray? Nellie Gray? by Stephen Foster

"Clementine" is a parody of those songs.

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15 Sep 14 - 01:36 AM (#3660302)
Subject: RE: Origins/Lyrics: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: GUEST, Joel at Thinkwalks

I think there's interesting hidden historical and moral value in this song: I haven't been able to confirm that H.S. Thompson ever visited the west, but if the wisdom of the versions one generation later is true ("miner 49er") then yes! And if he did, then that makes my case 100% foolproof.

My case? I believe I have strong evidence that this 1863 song was written as a description of an actual drowning, among hundreds or even thousands who drowned in a series of 1861-62 superstorms in the west that were called the Noachian Deluge.

That would explain its timing during the war, the final line about drowning (abnormal situation to drown due to wet weather) and its minstrel references to Digby Pine. (Slaves were fed smoked herring from Digby Nova Scotia, because it was cheap protein, and it came packed in pine boxes the size of a large shoe.)

Please use that link to let me know your comments, since I don't know that I'll notice them here--not a regular Mudcatter.

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15 Sep 14 - 11:21 PM (#3660677)
Subject: RE: Origins/Lyrics: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: mg

Ive also heard it was based on a true story.

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16 Oct 17 - 07:53 PM (#3882656)
Subject: RE: Origins/Lyrics: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: GUEST,keberoxu

See, it's right here in this thread:

I was trying to find the parody with Frankenstein in it.

I used the Mudcat search engine, and couldn't find Frankenstein.

So I searched using Clementine, and here you are...

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06 Dec 21 - 05:33 PM (#4128239)
Subject: RE: Origins/Lyrics: Oh, My Darling Clementine
From: Joe Offer

Clementine, as sung by Lani Herrmann: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnzFoDEPO1U

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