Stan Roger 1983
Blue Dolphin was designed by the famous naval architect William Roue, designer of the famous racing schooner Bluenose. Sometimes called a sister ship to Bluenose, Blue Dolphin was in fact considerably smaller but reflected the overall style of Bluenose. Blue Dolphin was built for Stephen Henry Velie Jr of Kansas City, Missouri. Rogers wrote the song based on his contact with Bruce Kemp and Kemp’s experiences trying to raise and restore Blue Dolphin. A few weeks after writing the song “Man with Blue Dolphin” Rogers died
It was just like him. He had to pick A boat gone from dowdy to derelict In half a dozen years Of searching for an owner She may have left her heart in the harbour mud But she really caught his at the flood And he wonders how she knew That she was waiting for a loner Blue Dolphin, built by the Rhuland men She’s lying on the bottom again With only him to care That Bluenose had a sister He lost the house and he sold the car His wife walked out so he hit the bars And hit up every friend To raise the Blue Dolphin And even afloat she’s a hole in the water Where his money goes Every dollar goes And it’s driving him crazy He pounds his fists white on the dock in the night And cries, “I’m gonna win!” And licks the blood away And he’s gonna raise the Dolphin Blue Dolphin’s lying like a wounded whale She’s hungry for a scrap of a sail To get her underway Back to salt water Now there’s a man lying spent in the winter sun He wonders what the hell he has done And who would ever pay To save his schooner daughter