《Clementine》这首歌曲讲述了一个发生在矿区的悲剧故事。歌词描绘了一位矿工的女儿克莱门汀（Clementine）在日常生活中发生的意外，以及人们对她的怀念。
“In a cavern down by a canyon Excavatin' for a mine”描述了故事发生在一个峡谷中的矿井附近。
“There lived a miner from north carolina And his daughter chubby clementine”介绍了主要人物：一位来自北卡罗莱纳州的矿工和他的胖女儿克莱门汀。
“Now every mornin' just about dawnin' A'when the sun begins to shine”讲述了每天清晨太阳升起时的情景。
“You know she would rouse up wake all a dem cows up And walk 'em down to her daddy's mine”说明克莱门汀负责叫醒牛群并将它们带到她父亲的矿井。
“A'took the foot bridge way 'cross the water The old bridge trembled and disassembled”描述了克莱门汀穿过一座古老摇摇欲坠的人行桥。
“It fell apart with a mighty roar She went down beneath the foam”表示桥突然坍塌，克莱门汀掉进了汹涌的河水中。
“And bubbles bobbed up where she'd been Hey i'm no swimm'a but were she slimm'a I might'a saved that clementine”表达了叙述者遗憾自己不会游泳，如果克莱门汀瘦一点，他或许能够救她。
“Underneath the water a record breaker I thought that she was doin' fine”反映了叙述者对克莱门汀状况的误解。
“I wasn't nervous ya until the service That they held for clementine”提到直到为克莱门汀举行的悼念仪式，叙述者才真正感到紧张。
“With a harpoon your trusty line If she shows now yo there she blows now It just may be chunky clementine”描述了人们用鱼叉和网试图找到克莱门汀的情景。
“Oh my darlin' oh my darlin' oh my darlin' Oh my darlin' oh my darlin' sweet clementine”重复呼唤着亲爱的克莱门汀，表达对她深深的思念。
“You may be gone But you're not forgotten Fare thee well So long clementine”最后表达了即使克莱门汀已经离去，但她永远不会被遗忘，人们向她告别。