Bonny Light Horseman – “Clementine” (Elliott Smith Cover)
Earlier this year, Elliott Smith’s self-titled album got an expanded 25th anniversary edition. Artists have been covering songs as a way to commemorate it and that’s resulted in new takes by Palehound, Califone, and more. Today, Bonny Light Horseman — the band made up of Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, and Josh Kaufman — have offered up their version of “Clementine.”
“Bonny Light Horseman is made up of 100% Elliott Smith mega-fans, so when our friend Rob from Kill Rock Stars asked us to do this it seemed pretty obvious,” the band said in a statement, continuing:
We each recorded our parts in three separate states but, like most of Elliott’s songs, this tune has such intimacy and warmth that it felt like we were all in the same room on a rainy night. It felt right for this band because as Josh points out – it might be the only ES song that has elements of a traditional song – ‘Oh my darlin’ Clementine…’ and it uses that great floppy open guitar tuning. Viva Elliott forever.
Listen below.