Ripples
Annie Haslam Lyrics
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Some are wise and some otherwise
They got pretty blue eyes
For an hour a man may change
For an hour her face looks strange
Marching to the promised land
Where the honey flows and takes you by the hand
While you're down a pool appears
The face in the water looks up
And she shakes her head as if to say
That it's the last time you'll look like today
Ripples never come back
Gone to the other side
The face that launched a thousand ships
Is sinking fast, that happens you know
The water gets below.
Seems not very long ago
Lovelier she was than any that I know
Angels never know it's time
To close the book and gracefully decline
The song has found a tale
My, what a jealous pool is she
The face in the water looks up
She shakes her head as if to say
That the bluegirls have all gone away
Ripples never come back
They've gone to the other side
Look into the pool
Ripples never come back
Dive to the bottom and go to the top
To see where they have gone
Oh, they've gone to the other side...
Ripples never come back
Gone to the other side
Look into the pool
The ripples never come back, come back
Dive to the bottom and go to the top
To see where they have gone
They've gone to the other side
Ripples never come back
The song "Ripples" by Annie Haslam paints pictures of reflections in a pond, where the surface ripples and distorts the images on the water, while meditating on the fleeting nature of time and the impermanence of beauty. The opening lines introduce "bluegirls" of all sizes, some wise and some otherwise, who have "pretty blue eyes" that are briefly captured in an hour of a man's attention. The imagery becomes abstract as the song moves onto a depiction of marching towards the "promised land" where "the honey flows and takes you by the hand" and "pulls you down on your knees." A pool appears where one's face is reflected, reminding one that "it's the last time you'll look like today."
The song then moves onto the theme of loss, where the face that launched a thousand ships, an allusion to Helen of Troy, is sinking fast, and a "jealous pool" is witness to this loss. Even angels gracefully decline, knowing when it's their time to close the book, whereas the song has found a tale that is fleeting, impermanent and will disappear. The bluegirls have all gone away, and the ripples never come back. The final verse repeats the imagery of diving into the pool to try to find the ripples that never return.
Line by Line Meaning
Bluegirls come in every size
Women come in different shapes and sizes
Some are wise and some otherwise
Some women are smart while others are not
They got pretty blue eyes
There are some women with beautiful blue eyes
For an hour a man may change
A man's perception can change temporarily
For an hour her face looks strange
Their face might seem unfamiliar because of the temporary change in perception
Marching to the promised land
Moving to a land of dreams and hopes
Where the honey flows and takes you by the hand
A place where everything will fall into place
Pulls you down on your knees
It makes you feel grateful and humbled
While you're down a pool appears
A pool appears while being grateful and humbled
The face in the water looks up
The reflection of oneself in the water
And she shakes her head as if to say
She expresses disagreement or disappointment through movement
That it's the last time you'll look like today
Change is inevitable and one will never look the same again
Ripples never come back
The effects of our actions are sometimes irreversible
Gone to the other side
The consequences of our actions transcends to the other side
The face that launched a thousand ships
A face that caused great conflict or consequences
Is sinking fast, that happens you know
The negative impact is worsening
The water gets below.
The situation becomes more serious
Seems not very long ago
It feels like it happened just recently
Lovelier she was than any that I know
She was more beautiful than anyone I have ever seen
Angels never know it's time
Angels do not always know when it's time to let go
To close the book and gracefully decline
To reject something nicely and respectfully
The song has found a tale
The story in the song has a meaningful message
My, what a jealous pool is she
The pool seems like an envious character
The face in the water looks up
The reflection in the water is seen
She shakes her head as if to say
The reflection expresses disagreement or disappointment through movement
That the bluegirls have all gone away
All the women have left
Look into the pool
Gaze into the reflection of oneself
Dive to the bottom and go to the top
Explore the depths and heights of oneself
To see where they have gone
To understand where the consequences of our actions have led
Oh, they've gone to the other side...
The consequences of actions have transcended to the other side
The ripples never come back, come back
The effects of actions never return
Dive to the bottom and go to the top
Explore the depths and heights of oneself
They've gone to the other side
The consequences of actions have transcended to the other side
Ripples never come back
The effects of our actions are sometimes irreversible
Gone to the other side
The consequences of our actions transcends to the other side
Look into the pool
Gaze into the reflection of oneself
Writer(s): Michael Rutherford, Anthony George Banks
Contributed by Peyton G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.