Well the girl turned ripe and the pickers came today
Had an uncle who was farmin' down in Tennessee
And I stopped by to see him there brought this friend with me 
He had a daughter seventeen whose name was Clementine
And sure enough they fell in love her and this friend of mine
He said the girl turned ripe and the pickers came today
He said there ain't no need in me beggin' her to stay
Ol' uncle Dave just shook his head and turned away
He said the girl turned ripe and the pickers came today
Fell in love with a gal that made her home in Louisian'
And her daddy was a hard and strict but very humble man
And he shook me up that day I went to ask him for her hand
But I felt better when I heard them same old words again
Well the girl turned ripe and the pickers came today
Said there ain't no need in me beggin' her to stay
He just shook his head and slowly walked away
He said the girl turned ripe and the pickers came today
Now me and this gal from Louisian' we got a family
We got a little doll with big brown eyes that we call Charmarie
And there's a great long line of pickers waitin' to talk to me
About the sweet little gal of mine that we call Charmarie
Well I said the girl turned ripe...
I said the girl turned ripe and the pickers came today