Darling Clementine, life’s been rough.
In the original folk ballad “Oh My Darling Clementine” (dating back to the late 1800s), poor Clementine is lost and gone forever after falling into a foaming brine of water. Poor girl was just trying to hang with some ducklings.
On top of it, she couldn’t even wear normal shoes.
As the story goes, she wore shoe size 9 — but instead wore boxes on her feet. (Size 9 was probably a rarity back then.)
Long story short, Clementine’s lover couldn’t swim, so he didn’t dive in after her. Then, in a strange turn of events, her dad apparently joined his darling Clementine by also … drowning? It’s a guess. But fret not, Clementine’s remains are out there fertilizing roses and posies in the church yard.
To cap off this charming ballad, her lover missed her until he kissed her little sister, then forgot all about his Clementine.
Condolences on the rough life, Clemmy.
Nederland five-piece string band Gipsy Moon did Clementine a favor. The quintet’s “Clementine” pumps a more positive, and truncated, spin on the lyrics. And although Gipsy Moon’s tone of the track is dark and haunting (fitting for the poor woman’s rotten luck), the band’s take on the old western ballad is alluring — short, sweet and cohesive with beautiful harmonies. The track is the band’s new single off an upcoming album, “Songs of Olde.”
The band is comprised of Mackenzie Page on vocals, guitar and tenor banjo; Silas Herman on mandolin (son of Vince Herman, of Leftover Salmon); Andrew Conley on cello; Matt Cantor on bass and vocals; and Omar Al’Tbal on percussion.
Catch the band at one of these upcoming shows: Fort Collins’ Aggie Theatre on Feb. 22; WinterWonderGrass Festival in Steamboat Springs on Feb. 23; Colorado Springs’ Gold Room on March 2; Denver’s Bluebird on March 3, and Nederland’s Caribou Room on March 4.
And now, put your ears to “Clementine:”
Christy Fantz: 303-473-1107, fantz@dailycamera.com or twitter.com/fantzypants
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