Dolphins album art

Dolphins

Tim Buckley
Goodbye and Hello (1967)
Moderate 80 BPM
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Song DNA

Dynamic Range6/10
Sudden Changesmild
Texturelayered
Predictabilitymedium
Vocal Stylesoft vocals
Notes: The song features gentle, flowing melodies with soft, emotive vocals that create a serene atmosphere. The instrumentation is layered, enhancing the dreamy quality of the track.

Misophonia Triggers

Mouth Soundsnone
Percussive Clicksnone
Breathing Soundsmild
Repetitive Micro-soundsnone

A hauntingly beautiful song that explores themes of love and longing through poetic lyrics and ethereal melodies.

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Hear it the way it was made

The right gear changes everything.

Moods: dreamy, introspective, melancholy

Traditions: folk

How this song sits on each sensory axis

A dynamic range of 6/10 means this song moves. Expect a real volume climb between quiet sections and the loudest part of the arrangement — enough that you may want to set the initial volume below where you'd normally land.

Sudden changes: mild. There are one or two transitions worth knowing about, though they're musically resolved rather than surprise-driven.

Texture is layered — a full arrangement with clear separation between parts.

Predictability is medium — conventional structure overall, with one or two moments that deviate from what you'd expect.

Vocal style: soft vocals.

Where this sits in Tim Buckley's catalog

We have 20 songs from Tim Buckley in the library. Of those, 0 are rated Safe, 20 Moderate, and 0 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 6/10 sits below the artist average of 6.5, making it the #12 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.

Other tracks from Goodbye and Hello

We have 9 songs from this album. Overall, the album leans moderate in sensory profile.

1967 context

Released in 1967. We have 289 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.2/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 1960s.

Explore by mood and tradition

Moods
dreamy · 1121introspective · 5721melancholy · 5399
Traditions
folk · 878

Why this rating

We rate this song Moderate because it falls between our Safe and Intense thresholds on at least one dimension. Moderate is the default for most well-produced music that has real arc but no surprise elements. Full rubric: methodology.

Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-17. Reviewed by the Music I Want editorial team against the documented methodology.

Think this rating is wrong? Email the editor — every message is read and ratings get revised.

Frequently asked about "Dolphins"

Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.

What is the sensory intensity of "Dolphins" by Tim Buckley?

"Dolphins" by Tim Buckley rates as Moderate intensity. Dynamic range 6/10, mild sudden changes, layered texture. Moderate is the default for well-produced music with real arc but no surprise elements.

How loud is "Dolphins" — what is its dynamic range?

"Dolphins" has a dynamic range of 6/10. Noticeable climb from quiet sections to loudest point. Set opening volume slightly lower than your preferred peak.

Does "Dolphins" have sudden or surprising changes?

"Dolphins" has mild sudden changes — one or two transitions worth knowing about, but they are musically resolved rather than surprise-driven.

What is "Dolphins" best for?

In our library "Dolphins" is recommended for: deep listening, meditation, relaxation. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.

When was "Dolphins" released?

"Dolphins" is from 1967, on the album "Goodbye and Hello". It appears in our 1960s catalog.

What is the emotional mood of "Dolphins"?

We tag "Dolphins" as dreamy, introspective, melancholy. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.

What is the vocal style of "Dolphins"?

The vocal style is soft vocals.

Should I listen to "Dolphins"?

"Dolphins" is Moderate intensity — fine for most listeners, but with enough dynamic activity that it works best as active listening rather than background.

Songs with the same DNA

layered texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.

Orphee
Johann Johannsson
safe
DR 7
En Tus Pupilas
Shakira
moderate
DR 6
Show and Prove
Big Daddy Kane
moderate
DR 6
On the Hunt
Lynyrd Skynyrd
moderate
DR 7
Just Be Sincere
Jackie Wilson
moderate
DR 6
All Alright
Sigur Rós
moderate
DR 7

Safer alternatives with a similar feel

These songs share similar moods but with a gentler sensory profile.

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Taylor Swift safe
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Heroin
Lana Del Rey safe
Happiness Is a Butterfly
Lana Del Rey safe

What this song means to people

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