Eddi Reader tracks

Dolphins

the song
title :	Dolphins
written by :	Fred Neil
song copyright :	© 1966 Carlin Music Corp.

the performance
musicians
Eddi Reader	vocal, concertina
Neill MacColl	electric and acoustic guitars
Phil Steriopulos	double bass
Roy Dodds	drums, “splash” (=percussion?)
with :
Jools Holland	piano

music
key :	F major
time-signature :	6/8
tempo :	MM 128 (quavers), 43 (dotted-crochets)
form :	VR VR vR VR X m N

lyrics
provided for research and private study only (see above for copyright details): Dolphins sometimes I think about saturday’s child and all about the times we were running wild I’ve been searching for the dolphins in the sea, yeah sometimes I wonder do you ever think of me? this old world will never change, ah, ha! the way it’s been and all our ways of war can’t change it back again I’ve been searching for the dolphins in the sea, no sometimes I wonder do you ever think of me? yeah, no – verse (12-string ‘triplets’ solo) I’ve been searching for the dolphins in the sea, yeah-yeah-yeah sometimes I wonder do you ever think of me? lord, I’m not the one to tell this old world how to get along I only know that peace will come, ah, when all our hate is gone I’ve been searching for the dolphins in the sea, yeah-yeah-yeah sometimes I wonder do you ever think of me? do you ever, do you ever, ah-ha do you ever think of me? yeah – extended vocalise solo oh, oh, never careless, careless careless careless, careless care...

lyrics

provided for research and private study only (see above for copyright details):

Dolphins

sometimes I think about saturday’s child
and all about the times we were running wild

I’ve been searching for the dolphins in the sea, yeah
sometimes I wonder do you ever think of me?

this old world will never change, ah, ha! the way it’s been
and all our ways of war can’t change it back again

I’ve been searching for the dolphins in the sea, no
sometimes I wonder do you ever think of me? yeah, no

– verse (12-string ‘triplets’ solo)

I’ve been searching for the dolphins in the sea, yeah-yeah-yeah
sometimes I wonder do you ever think of me?

lord, I’m not the one to tell this old world how to get along
I only know that peace will come, ah, when all our hate is gone

I’ve been searching for the dolphins in the sea, yeah-yeah-yeah
sometimes I wonder do you ever think of me?

do you ever, do you ever, ah-ha
do you ever think of me? yeah

– extended vocalise solo
oh, oh, never

careless, careless
careless
careless, careless
care...

explanations
The reference to “Saturday’s child” presumably relates to the rhyme about the characteristics of children according to the day of the week on which they were born. The version current in my family is : monday’s child is fair of face tuesday’s child is full of grace wednesday’s child is full of woe thursday’s child has far to go friday’s child is loving and giving saturday’s child works hard for a living but the child that is born on the sabbath day is blithe and bonny, good and gay

explanations

The reference to “Saturday’s child” presumably relates to the rhyme about the characteristics of children according to the day of the week on which they were born. The version current in my family is :

monday’s child is fair of face
tuesday’s child is full of grace
wednesday’s child is full of woe
thursday’s child has far to go
friday’s child is loving and giving
saturday’s child works hard for a living
but the child that is born on the sabbath day
is blithe and bonny, good and gay

the recording
personnel
produced by :	Eddi Reader and the Patron Saints of Imperfection
recorded by :	Terry Medhurst at Helicon Mountain Studio, London
mixed by :	Terry Medhurst? at Helicon Mountain Studio?
mastered by :	? at Townhouse?

technical
track timing :	7:06

recording copyright
1991 RCA Records Ltd/BMG Records (UK) Ltd

released on
album :	Mirmama	track 5

commentary
It is not immediately obvious how to ‘read’ the reference in the opening lines; is the Saturday’s child a friend of the singer or the singer themselves. On the whole I incline to the former view, and, possibly, the one who works hard for a living is, in as Eddi’s singing, a man. The instrumental work out on the F-F#-F change is a live favourite, affording plenty of opportunity for extravagant soloing over the strangeness of the chords a semitone apart.
Adrian Dover

commentary

It is not immediately obvious how to ‘read’ the reference in the opening lines; is the Saturday’s child a friend of the singer or the singer themselves. On the whole I incline to the former view, and, possibly, the one who works hard for a living is, in as Eddi’s singing, a man.

The instrumental work out on the F-F#-F change is a live favourite, affording plenty of opportunity for extravagant soloing over the strangeness of the chords a semitone apart.

Adrian Dover

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