Our ship she laid in harbour, in Liverpool docks and more, Awaiting for fresh orders her anchor for to weigh; Bound down to the coast of Africa, our orders did run so: We're going to sink and destroy, my boys, no matter where we go. We had not been sailing scarce fifty leagues or more, When we espied a lofty ship and down on us he bore; He hailed us in French colours, he asked us where and whence we came. "We just come down from Liverpool town and the Dolphin is our name." "Are you a man-of-war, sir? Pray tell me what you be." "I am no man-of-war, sir, but a pirate ship you see. Come heave up your fore and main yards and let your ship come to, Our tackles are overhauled and our boats are all lowered, or else we will sink you." Now our Captain stood on the quarterdeck, he was brave and fearless too. "It's three to one against us," he cried out to his crew; "If it hadn't have been for my younger brother, this battle would never been tried. Let every man stand true to his guns and we'll give to them a broadside." Now broadside to broadside which caused all hands to wonder, To see that French lofty's mast come rattling down like thunder; We shot them from our quarterdeck 'til they could no longer stay, Our guns being smart and we played a fine part and we gave them Liverpool play. Now this large French ship was taken and in Liverpool docks was moored, We fired shots to our sweethearts with the nice little girls on shore; We lowered down the French colours, and we hoisted the red, white and blue, We'll drink success to the Dolphin and all her jovial crew.

A classic broadside ballad of a sea battle, The Dolphin tells of a merchant vessel out of Liverpool that bests a French privateer against the odds. A.L. Lloyd suggested the song “began its life in the seventeenth century” concerning a Bristol merchant ship called the Marigold that fought Barbary pirates, and was later adapted to describe encounters with the French during the Napoleonic Wars—though no specific historical event has been confirmed.

The Mainly Norfolk page for this song does an exceptional job chronicling the recording history of this song and its closely-related variants. The earliest print versions date to the first decade of the 20th century. Rod Stradling commented on Sam Larner’s 2014 anthology Cruising Round Yarmouth:

I can’t think of a song, supposedly about a real event, which goes by so many titles—The French Privateer, The London Man o’ War, The Irish Captain, Lord Exmouth, Warlike Seamen, Summerswell… the list goes on and on. Moreover, the date given in the song’s usual first line “On the 14th day of June, my boys, in Liverpool where we lay” seems to be different in practically every version!

So maybe this song isn’t about a real event—any number of Royal Navy ships were named Dolphin; one laid down in 1751 was reportedly the ninth of that name. Whether this song is actually based on the exploits of a particular Dolphin is unclear. Nonetheless, it was pretty popular, with 67 Roud entries, and found in most southern counties of England, with a scattering in Scotland, Ireland and the USA. Yet despite 19 sound recordings, only that by the Copper family [on Come Write Me Down] remains available on CD.