Clementine
Bing Crosby/My Favorite Country Songs Lyrics

In a cavern down by a canyon
There was a miner who lived in a cave located near a canyon.

Excavatin' for a mine,
The miner was digging to find valuable minerals for the mine.

There lived a miner from North Carolina
The miner was from North Carolina.

And his daughter, chubby Clementine.
The miner had a daughter named Clementine who was overweight.

Now every mornin', just about dawnin'
Every morning, when the sun was about to rise

A'when the sun begins to shine
When the sun starts shining

You know she would rouse up, wake all a dem cows up
Clementine would wake up and gather all the cows up.

And walk 'em down to her Daddy's mine.
And take them to her father's mine.

A'took the foot bridge, way 'cross the water
She crossed the river by walking on a bridge.

Though she weighed two-ninety nine.
She was very heavy, weighing 299 pounds.

The old bridge trembled and disassembled
The old bridge shook and broke apart.

(Oops!) dumped her into the foamy brine.
(Oops!) Clementine fell into the foamy water.

Hey, crackle like thunder, (ho, ho) she went under
She made a loud sound like thunder, and then went under the water.

(ho, ho) blowin bubbles (bubble sound) down the line.
She was blowing bubbles as she went further down the river.

Hey, I'm no swimm'a but were she slimm'a
Although he can't swim very well, he believes he could have saved her if she were slimmer.

I might'a saved that Clementine.
He thinks he could have saved Clementine if she were smaller.

(Ho) broke the record, way under water
(Ho) She set a record for staying underwater.

I thought that she was doin' fine.
He thought Clementine was doing well underwater.

I wasn't nervous ya until the service
He wasn't worried about Clementine until her funeral.

That they held for Clementine.
The funeral that was held for Clementine.

Hey you sailor (ho, ho) way out in your whaler
He is calling out to a sailor who is far away on a whaling boat.

With a harpoon, your trusty line.
The sailor has a harpoon and a fishing line he can use to fish.

If she shows now, yo, there she blows now,
If he were to see Clementine now, she might be floating in the water.

It just may be chunky Clementine.
It could be Clementine who is overweight.

Oh my darlin', oh my darlin', oh my darlin'
He is calling out to Clementine endearingly.

Oh my darlin' , oh my darlin' sweet Clementine,
He is calling out to Clementine with affection.

You may be gone
Although Clementine is gone

But!
...

You're not forgotten,
She won't be forgotten.

Fare thee well
Goodbye

So long, Clementine
She is leaving for good.

(Bubble sound) Bye!
A final goodbye as represented by a bubble sound.