Chords for Tom Lehrer: Clementine (concert live) (1959)

_ _ [F] _ _ [Bb] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
_folk
song [N] and expound briefly on a theory I have held for some time to the effect that the reason most folk songs are so atrocious is that they were written by the people. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ If professional songwriters had written them instead, things might have turned out considerably differently.
For example, consider the old favorite, with [Ab] which I'm sure you're all familiar, _ [F] Clementine, you know,
In a cavern, in a canyon, da da da da da da da
[N] A song with no recognizable merit whatsoever.
And imagine what might have happened if, for example, Cole Porter had tried writing this song.
The first verse might have come out like this. _
[C] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
In a cavern, _ _ _ in a canyon
_ _ _ _ [A] _ _
[Bm] Excavating for [G] a mine
[F] Far away from the boom boom boom
[Em] Of the city
She [Dm] was so pretty, what a [E] pity
[Dm] Clementine, _ _ [G] _ _ [C] oh [Em] Clementine
[A] _ [Em] Can't you tell [E] from the howls of me
_ This love of [Dbm] mine
[Gb] _ [A] Calls to you [Ab] from the bowels of _ me
_ Are [Bm] you _
[D] [G] discerning the returning of this churning burning
_ Churning for [C] you _ _
[Am] _ _ _ [Em] _ Well, [N] supposing at this point _ _ _ _ _ _ that Mozart, _ _ _ or one of that crowd,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [C] Had tried writing a verse, the next one might have come out as a baritone aria from an Italian opera, somewhat along these lines.
Light _ _ [F] _ _
[D] _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ weight, like a ferry
And swiss shoes [G] number _ nine
Pairing boxes without tops and [C]
sandals
For Clementine, yes, for Clementine, yes
For Clementine, sandals for Clementine, sandals for Clementine
Clementine, [G] Clementine, Cle-me-me [C]-me-tine
_ _ [F] _ Pairing [Eb] boxes without tops and [F] sandals for Clementine
[G] _ _ _ _
[F] _ _ _ Clementine, Clementine, _ _ _ _ _ Clementine
[N] Well, _ _ _ _ supposing _ _ _ _ _ at this rather dramatic juncture in the narrative,
One of our modern, cool school of composers had tried writing a verse, the next one might have come out like this. _ _
[Em] _ _ _ [Ebm] _ _ [Dm] _ _ _
[G] _ _ _ _ [E] Drove [Eb] those ducklings to the water, [C] eep-rock, doo-doo-doo-doo _ _
Every morning [Ab] like nine a.m.,. [G] ooh-ba-dee-doo-doo-doo [Db] _ [D] Got hung up on a splinter, got hung up on a splinter, cluck-a-bop _ _ [G] _ _ Fell into the foamy brine, dig that crazy [Gb] Clementine [Fm] _ _ _ _ [N] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ To end on a happy note, one can always count on Gilbert and Sullivan for a rousing finale full of words and music and signifying nothing. [C] But _ _ _ [Cm] _ _ _ [F] _ _
_ _ [C] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _
[C] _ _ [G] _ _ [C] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ I missed her depressed, her [G] young sister named Esther, [C] this mister [G] to pester she try [C] Now a pestering [G] sister's a pestering [D] blister, you'd best resist [G] her, say I The mister resisted, the sister [G] persisted, I kissed her, [C] all loyalty slipped [G] When she said I could [Am] have her, her sister's [D] cadaver must surely have [G] turned in its crypt Yes, yes, yes, yes [C] But I love she [G] and she loves me, [C] and raptured are the both of we Yes, I love [F] she and she loves I, [G] and will through all [C] eternity _ [F] _ _ [C] See what I mean? _ _ [N] _ _ _ [G] _ _ [Gm] _ _
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_ [C] _ _ [Gm] _ _ _ _ _
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_ _ _ _ _ [N] _ _ _