It was mentioned as a song title by Jim in one of his journals, being originally demoed in a hotel room studio (set up by Charlie and Andy) whilst Simple Minds were appearing at The Night Of The Proms in Antwerp.

"It reminded me of sonic signals, it sounded like the sounds mammals make under the sea - probably smoking too much! - but I had a picture of the deep blue sea. But the title Dolphins? It could be too twee."

"The song seemed to write itself. It's a song about a man who goes to the water's edge, and wants to finish it. He sees the dolphins, and doesn't say 'Oh Dolphins, I've changed my mind', he wants to go deep with them. It's obscure. You come up with the words, it's not about something in particular... the character wants to go to the final resting ground."

The original demo featured backing vocals by Mirjam Timmer (formally in Twarres). They couldn't use her vocals on the final recording as there was interference on her microphone.

(She'd met Jim at one of the Proms concerts, where they talked about Bush's policy to use sonar on submarines which causes dolphins and whales to become disorientated. Becoming angry about the subject, she decided to write a song, and asked Jim to duet. Her song, The Deep Blue Sea was released as a single in 2006.)

"A dream, a metaphor, an illusion. It all takes place against Charlie Burchill's siren call. In my view, Dolphins is a fine example of the cinema sound that Simple Minds has always been able to conjure up" - Jim

They say that, Say it's wise. They say that, It's the only time. To reach for what remains. To look for what's the same. Dolphins, Swim around. And dolphins, Drag me down. Drag me down. Say that, It's the truth. There's an ocean, Reach in front of you. And dolphins, Hit the sound, And when dolphins, Circle round. If it seems so, Like the world juts in. Those dolphins. Drag me down. Drag me down. Say that, Say it's wise. Say that, That it's the only vice. Yet you say so, What remains? And look so, Uncertain. And dolphins. Look around. And those dolphins, Drag me down. Drag me down. It looks though, The world juts in, As dolphins. Drag me down. Drag me down.

Snippet (2:02) Produced by Jez Coad and Simple Minds Arranged by Jez Coad and Simple Minds Programmed by Jez Coad Engineered by Arjen Mensinga and Michiel Hoogenboesem Mixed by Bob Clearmountain
Album Version (6:13) Produced by Jez Coad and Simple Minds Arranged by Jez Coad and Simple Minds Programmed by Jez Coad Engineered by Arjen Mensinga and Michiel Hoogenboesem Mixed by Bob Clearmountain
Live Version (6:00) Recorded: Black And White Tour 2006 Mixed By Jez Coad
Live Version (11th February 2014) (5:11) Recorded: Tollhaus, Karlsruhe, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (12th February 2014) (5:16) Recorded: Europahalle, Trier, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (14th February 2014) (5:08) Recorded: Palladium, Köln, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (15th February 2014) (5:12) Recorded: Konzerthalle, Olsberg, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (16th February 2014) (5:14) Recorded: Capitol, Hannover, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (18th February 2014) (5:12) Recorded: Phönixhalle, Mainz, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (20th February 2014) (5:11) Recorded: Werfhalle, Göppingen, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (25th February 2014) (5:19) Recorded: Alcatraz, Milan, Italy Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (26th February 2014) (5:17) Recorded: Festhalle, Berne, Switzerland Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (28th February 2014) (5:20) Recorded: Incheba Arena, Prague, Czech Republic Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (1st March 2014) (5:21) Recorded: Sala Ziemi, Poznan, Poland Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (2nd March 2014) (5:21) Recorded: Stodola, Warsaw, Poland Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (9th June 2014) (5:12) Recorded: KulturPur Festival, Hilchenbach, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (11th July 2014) (5:10) Recorded: Kunst!Rasen, Bonn, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (24th July 2014) (5:14) Recorded: Teatro Antico, Taormina, Sicily Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (26th July 2014) (5:13) Recorded: Banchina San Domenico, Molfetta, Italy Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (27th July 2014) (5:16) Recorded: The Cavea, Rome, Italy Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (28th July 2014) (?:??) Recorded: Piazza Castello, Ferrara, Italy Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (29th July 2014) (5:18) Recorded: Arena Alpe Adria, Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (30th July 2014) (5:15) Recorded: Gru Village, Turin, Italy Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (February-May 2015) (2:42) Recorded: Big Music Tour 2015 Recorded By: Olivier Gerard Mixed By: Olivier Gerard at Jet Studios
Live Version (24th October 2018) (6:30) Recorded: Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles, California, USA Recorded by: Olivier Gerard Produced by: Andy Wright Mixed by: Gavin Goldberg Assisted by: Lewis Chapman

Live Version (16th Feb 06) (6:15) Recorded: Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium Recording Engineer: Patrick Demoustier Mixed By Jez Coad, Charlie Burchill and Andy Gillespie
Live Version (11th February 2014) (5:11) Recorded: Tollhaus, Karlsruhe, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (12th February 2014) (5:16) Recorded: Europahalle, Trier, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (14th February 2014) (5:08) Recorded: Palladium, Köln, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (15th February 2014) (5:12) Recorded: Konzerthalle, Olsberg, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (16th February 2014) (5:14) Recorded: Capitol, Hannover, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (18th February 2014) (5:12) Recorded: Phönixhalle, Mainz, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (20th February 2014) (5:11) Recorded: Werfhalle, Göppingen, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (25th February 2014) (5:19) Recorded: Alcatraz, Milan, Italy Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (26th February 2014) (5:17) Recorded: Festhalle, Berne, Switzerland Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (28th February 2014) (5:20) Recorded: Incheba Arena, Prague, Czech Republic Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (1st March 2014) (5:21) Recorded: Sala Ziemi, Poznan, Poland Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (2nd March 2014) (5:21) Recorded: Stodola, Warsaw, Poland Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (9th June 2014) (5:12) Recorded: KulturPur Festival, Hilchenbach, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (11th July 2014) (5:10) Recorded: Kunst!Rasen, Bonn, Germany Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (24th July 2014) (5:14) Recorded: Teatro Antico, Taormina, Sicily Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (26th July 2014) (5:13) Recorded: Banchina San Domenico, Molfetta, Italy Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (27th July 2014) (5:16) Recorded: The Cavea, Rome, Italy Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (28th July 2014) (?:??) Recorded: Piazza Castello, Ferrara, Italy Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (29th July 2014) (5:18) Recorded: Arena Alpe Adria, Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy Mixed By Bleecker Street
Live Version (30th July 2014) (5:15) Recorded: Gru Village, Turin, Italy Mixed By Bleecker Street

Live Version (7th April 2015) (2:44) Recorded: Usher Hall, Edinburgh, UK