宋宁宗嘉定十二年（1219）左右,戴复古曾在鄂州吞云楼谱写一阕《水调歌头》的词,《满江红·赤壁怀古》词,约写于《水调歌头》的前后,此时词人正在鄂州、黄州一带漫游,黄州城外有赤壁矶（又叫赤鼻矶）,虽有人考证这里并非赤壁之战的战场,但时人可能有些传说,前此又有苏轼的“大江东去”一词,词人过此,也难免生发怀旧的感情,继苏轼之后,再写一篇赤壁怀古词.这首词,风格豪迈,苍劲有力,在自然朴素的描写中,不时有浓重之笔与用力之笔出现,平淡之中见奇伟.清人纪昀十分欣赏这首词,觉得它的豪壮之气并不逊于苏东坡.
赤壁矾头,一番过、一番怀古.想当时,周郎年少,气吞区宇.万骑临江貔虎噪,千艘列炬鱼龙怒.卷长波、一鼓困曹瞒,今如许?江上渡,江边路.形胜地,兴亡处.览遗踪,胜读史书言语.几度东风吹世换,千年往事随潮去.问道傍、杨柳为谁春,摇金缕.
The River All Red The Red Cliff Dai Fugu Passing the head of the Cliff red,Can I forget the bygone days,When the young general spread his heroic rays?Thousands of steeds roared like tigers by riverside; Hundreds of ships in wrath with fish and dragon vied.Rolling long wave on wave,They beat the foe so brave.What happens nowadays?The ferry on the tide And roads by riverside Have witnessed all Dynasties’ rise and fall.Seeing the relics of war,We understand history all the more.How many times has changed the world which raves!A thousand years have passed away with the waves.I ask the roadside willow trees:“For whom are you swaying in vernal breeze?”