The song at first appears to be the love song of an older man for a young girl, especially in the whistling, done during the introduction to the song. At the end of the song's second verse, though, we learn it's about a young man's genuine love and affection for his baby niece: Nothing means more to me/than hearing you say/I'm going to marry you/Will you marry me Uncle Ray? (O'Sullivan's real name is Raymond Edward Sullivan.) This gives the song's lyrics a sweetness and depth not usually found in pop songs. The "real" Clair was, in fact, the infant daughter of O'Sullivan's producer-manager, Gordon Mills, and the little girl's giggling is heard at the end of the song.
"Clair" was used in the 1997 film Air Bud. A good version in a foreign language was performed in 1973 by the Italian crooner Johnny Dorelli .
