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If my words did glow with the gold of sunshine
And my tunes were played on the harp unstrung
Would you hear my voice come through the music
Would you hold it near as it were your own?
It's a hand-me-down, the thoughts are broken
Perhaps they're better left unsung
I don't know, don't really care
Let there be songs to fill the air
Ripple in still water
When there is no pebble tossed
Nor wind to blow
Reach out your hand if your cup be empty
If your cup is full may it be again
Let it be known there is a fountain
That was not made by the hands of men
There is a road, no simple highway
Between the dawn and the dark of night
And if you go no one may follow
That path is for your steps alone
Ripple in still water
When there is no pebble tossed
Nor wind to blow
You who choose to lead must follow
But if you fall, you fall alone
If you should stand, then who's to guide you
If I knew the way I would take you home
La da da da La da da da da
La da da La da La da da da
La da da da La da da da da
La da da da La da da da da
| hencini | Posted: Apr 06, 2013 - 06:55 "That's Otis..." Lolz... : ) |
| dig | Posted: Mar 05, 2013 - 19:18 PA1749 wrote: Play Jane's Addiction's cover from Deadicated! No offense, but that is one of the worst covers ever. |
| caregiver (near contentment now) | Posted: Mar 05, 2013 - 19:15  |
| rdo (DC) | Posted: Dec 01, 2012 - 18:21 I was just reading Nick Paumgarten's essay in the New Yorker on the Dead's enormous recording vault. My reaction: you guys are weird. |
| joelbb | Posted: Sep 29, 2012 - 23:13 This is the best recording of this deeply spiritual song I've heard. Bravo, Bill. |
| ziakut (Right Here) | Posted: Jun 27, 2012 - 13:25 Definitely not a fan of the Dead, but this song is sweet and well done live. |
| jr2571 (NYC) | Posted: Feb 21, 2012 - 13:13 Wow- a lot od Dead bashing. I'm no Head, but the music is golden. As their current incarnation- Furthur- they are putting out wonderful live shows. Saw them for 3 nights at Red Rocks in October and I 'highly' enjoyed!! |
| jr2571 (NYC) | Posted: Feb 21, 2012 - 13:10 scrubbrush wrote: makes me sentimental about memories that I'm not even sure are mine hysterical |
| angelomisterioso (no longer secret location north texas) | Posted: Jan 20, 2012 - 19:45 Saw them at American Unersity, with Blood Sweat & Tears as opening act 😄😄😄😄 |
| hencini | Posted: Jan 20, 2012 - 19:44 angelomisterioso wrote: Saw them in Boulder, with Warren Zevon as the opening act 😃😃 I can't even handle the truth of this. |
| angelomisterioso (no longer secret location north texas) | Posted: Jan 20, 2012 - 19:41 Saw them in Boulder, with Warren Zevon as the opening act 😃😃 |
| PA1749 (Room 106) | Posted: Nov 18, 2011 - 08:20 Play Jane's Addiction's cover from Deadicated! |
| terrapin52 (Terrapin Station, SC) | Posted: Nov 18, 2011 - 08:19 A kind, beautiful song. Thanks for playing! |
| scrubbrush (Sea of Calm) | Posted: Oct 17, 2011 - 18:22 makes me sentimental about memories that I'm not even sure are mine |
| johnjconn (chicago land) | Posted: Oct 17, 2011 - 18:22 I envision Bill firing up a bowl in the studio to this song. Open the window, turn on the fan, open up a bottle of red and kicking back. |
| Mita (Santa Fe, NM) | Posted: Aug 15, 2011 - 19:40 Not much better than live Dead! |
| dc_zee | Posted: Jul 15, 2011 - 11:02 bokey wrote: Wastoids stumbling around on stage with untuned instruments? Yeah, I've seen that ugly , disgraceful , ripoff, con artist sight. Not (often) true. The Dead were anything but cons — they'd play hours and hours of music with a new set list every day/night. The funny thing was that the Dead put on some of the BEST shows I've ever seen as well as a few of the WORST. I knew it was a bad show when my pals and I started hoping Bobby would "save" the show with Throwin' Stones or a Marty Robbins tune; it's not that Bobby was bad ... it was just that it was usually the Jerry songs and guitar that had magic, and Bobby's sometimes sounded like fluff in comparison. (Sorry Mr. Weir... I am truly grateful for those shows you pulled out of the muck!) |
| horseplayer (Lincroft, NJ) | Posted: Jul 15, 2011 - 11:01 Beautiful melody, beautiful sentiment, beautifully sung.
"Lift up your hand / if your cup be empty. . ." |
| More_Cowbell (Northern IL) | Posted: Jul 15, 2011 - 10:52 LaurieinTucson wrote: The only Dead concert I ever went to was when I was pregnant with my oldest, now 16-year-old son. The first time I "felt the baby move" was during that show. And I was NOT high. At least, not high on any substances.... My, now 19 year old, also enjoyed her first Dead concert like your son. |
| (former member) | Posted: Jul 15, 2011 - 10:52 Ripple, to me, is the emotional backdrop to the final episode of Freaks & Geeks, where our heroine decides to not go to college (like she's told her parents) but gets off the college-bound bus at its first stop, where her friends are waiting. Ripple plays in the background as they all laugh, get in their van, and she heads off to the rest of her life. Brilliant end to a brilliant, short-lived, Judd Apatow series. |
| to_the_eleven (the groove) | Posted: Apr 11, 2011 - 13:49 SIR: apparently Otis belonged to Bob http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgans/1218333086/  |
| SirLars (London, ON) | Posted: Jan 07, 2011 - 10:10 prefer the studio version to this one.... but it always makes me smile when I hear that song. When my daughter was a baby and couldn't sleep, we'd go for a drive and listen to the Grateful Dead... she always loved that and it always calmed her down.... |
| LaurieinTucson (Tucson,AZ) | Posted: Jan 07, 2011 - 10:07 The only Dead concert I ever went to was when I was pregnant with my oldest, now 16-year-old son. The first time I "felt the baby move" was during that show. And I was NOT high. At least, not high on any substances.... |
| scrubbrush | Posted: Jan 07, 2011 - 10:04 Hooray for hippies! |
| Johnny_Wave (California, baby) | Posted: Dec 06, 2010 - 19:16 I've never been a Dead fan, but I really like this song. Solid 8 |
| calypsus_1 | Posted: Oct 04, 2010 - 13:35  Jerry Garcia by ~RussCook Russ Cook ©2010 ~RussCook A submission for all you deadheads floating free in deviant space. Really digging this wacom pencil thing. |
| LongGoneDaddy | Posted: Oct 04, 2010 - 12:09 jwb wrote: My favorite part of this song is the stoner doofuses clapping out of time in the background. hey, cut Bobby some slack...it had been a long strange trip ;)  |
| apd (Toronto, On) | Posted: Sep 02, 2010 - 12:12 toterola wrote: But you took the time to call attention to yourself. What's up with that?   ...and you took the time to call attention to him calling attention to himself. You're on an internet message board - if you have to ask the question... |
| toterola (Further) | Posted: Feb 23, 2010 - 21:51 Papernapkin wrote: Had to turn it off. But you took the time to call attention to yourself. What's up with that? |
| CyberCoyote (Central Cali Coast) | Posted: Feb 23, 2010 - 21:45 I KNEW you'd be playing The Dead after "Take a Look" ... LOL |
| helgigermany (Germany) | Posted: Dec 23, 2009 - 01:05 Not a good arangement! |
| Ag3nt0rang3 (Canada) | Posted: Nov 21, 2009 - 14:41 Oh no! It's Ripple, again! Blagh. |
| calypsus_1 | Posted: Oct 14, 2009 - 18:46 Grateful Dead - "Ripple" Live |
| bokey (Up on the tightwire.One sides ice and one is fire.) | Posted: Aug 19, 2009 - 03:24 K-BILLY wrote: YOU PROBABLY NEVER SAW THEM PERFORM! Long Live Hippies!  Wastoids stumbling around on stage with untuned instruments? Yeah, I've seen that ugly , disgraceful , ripoff, con artist sight. |
| bokey (Up on the tightwire.One sides ice and one is fire.) | Posted: Aug 19, 2009 - 03:21 Papernapkin wrote: Had to turn it off.  |
| Papernapkin (Mountain View, CA) | Posted: Jul 18, 2009 - 12:39 jgunter wrote: had to turn it up Had to turn it off. |
| peter_james_bond (Lunenburg, NS) | Posted: Jun 16, 2009 - 17:12 What an interesting rating distribution for this song. I haven't seen one like it. |
| anotherlistener | Posted: Feb 10, 2009 - 06:10 Ahh, the Dead, good for the head. |
| jonahboo | Posted: Feb 10, 2009 - 06:09 LOVE IT FOR OTIS! |
| fluffybum | Posted: Jan 09, 2009 - 14:19 aah the dead...thank you. |
| alph (Honolulu) | Posted: Dec 08, 2008 - 23:51 Apparently the original and true name of this album is Reckoning. |
| smilestoomuch (Mad City, WI) | Posted: Nov 07, 2008 - 11:01 karljonasson wrote: Well, now that just brightened my day! I had a boyfriend who really tried to get to like their music. He even encouraged me to put a Dead sticker on my car so if it broke down, some kind Deadhead would pull over and help me out. All I could stand was some of the record they did after getting a few lessons from Crosby, Stills, and Nash. I couldn't even tell you what it is... |
| vonwienerhousen (Rocky Mountains) | Posted: Nov 07, 2008 - 11:01 my guidance counselor gave me "For the Faithful" when i was in the 7th grade. i LOVE this song and thank that man very much! |
| cosmiclint (Vancouver BC) | Posted: Nov 07, 2008 - 11:01 Great song, but I have to say this is one of those rare times that I prefer the studio version of a song to a live version. |
| fredriley (Nottingham, UK) | Posted: Nov 07, 2008 - 10:58 justin4kick wrote: Just logged in. I'm out again. This is just one of those songs on RP I can't stand. Same here, but don't log out, just hit the mute button - something more to your taste will be along pretty damn soon, I'm sure. |
| Hairfarmer (Appalachia) | Posted: Oct 06, 2008 - 20:35 macadavy wrote: It just doesn't get much better...(He says, sparking up a fatty of BCBud!)  Well just rub it in why don'tcha?  |
| macadavy (Cascadia's attic, eh?) | Posted: Oct 06, 2008 - 20:32 It just doesn't get much better...(He says, sparking up a fatty of BCBud!) |
| justin4kick (The Netherlands) | Posted: Sep 05, 2008 - 06:31 Just logged in. I'm out again. This is just one of those songs on RP I can't stand. |
| skindy (AwlbanNY) | Posted: Aug 04, 2008 - 15:27 My favorite Dead song. Always makes me think of a dear friend, John "Ernie" Beer, taken too soon almost 4 years ago now. David Dodd, a research associate from 1997-98 in the Music Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz, assembled a wonderful page on the UCSC site called The Annotated "Ripple" that includes a song analysis (with accurate lyrics), commentary from philosophical and spiritual perspectives, and a link to a sermon inspired by this song. |
| Mugro (Lane Village, Red Sox Nation) | Posted: Aug 04, 2008 - 15:06 Hmmm.... today we are somewhat midpoint between Jerry's birthday (August 1) and the day he died (August 9th). It is a good day to remember him.... |