Amanda Lehmann: Vocals
Steve Hackett: Guitars
Phil Mulford: Bass
Roger King: Keyboards
Gary O'Toole: Drums
Ripples
Steve Hackett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 -
Looks strange, looks strange.
Marching to the promised land
Pulls you down on your knees,
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.
Sail away, away
Ripples never come back.
Gone to the other side
Sail away, away.
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 she is.
The face in the water looks up
She shakes her head as if to say
That the bluegirls have all gone away.
Sail away, 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 -
The song "Ripples" by Steve Hackett is a poetic interpretation of the fleeting nature of beauty and how we are constantly changing. The song begins with a description of blue girls in all different sizes, some wise and some otherwise. The key focus here is on their pretty blue eyes which the singer admires. The second verse describes an idyllic world where the rush of the water takes you away to a promised land where you can rest. The singer then looks into a pool as he rests and sees his reflection in the water. He realizes that he will never look the same again and ruminates on the finality of his current state.
In the third verse, the "face that launched a thousand ships" is sinking fast. This is a reference to Helen of Troy, whose beauty was so legendary that it started the Trojan War. In this context, it implies that even the most beautiful things eventually fade away. The singer then reflects on the jealousy of the pool as it watches the passing of the blue girls. The song ends with the repetition of "Sail away" as it brings attention to the transience of life and beauty.
Line by Line Meaning
Bluegirls come in every size
Women of various shapes and sizes exist
Some are wise and some otherwise,
Some women are intelligent while others may not be
They got pretty blue eyes.
Many of these women have beautiful blue eyes
For an hour a man may change
A person can change in a short period of time
For an hour her face looks strange -
For a brief moment, her face may appear unfamiliar
Looks strange, looks strange.
Emphasizes the unusual nature of the change
Marching to the promised land
Moving towards a better future
Where the honey flows and takes you by the hand.
A place where life is sweet and comforting
Pulls you down on your knees,
Overwhelming feelings can lead you to your knees
While you're down a pool appears.
A metaphorical pool manifests while you're feeling low
The face in the water looks up,
You see your own reflection in the pool
And she shakes her head as if to say
The reflection seems to show disapproval
That it's the last time you'll look like today.
A reminder to appreciate the present moment, as time moves on
Sail away, away
Encouragement to leave behind current troubles
Ripples never come back.
Past actions have permanent consequences
Gone to the other side
Past actions and their effects have left and cannot be changed
The face that launched a thousand ships
A reference to the myth of Helen of Troy, whose beauty started a war
Is sinking fast, that happens you know,
Even something great can come to an end
The water gets below.
The situation gets worse
Seems not very long ago
It feels like just yesterday
Lovelier she was than any that I know.
An acknowledgment of someone's extraordinary beauty
Angels never know it's time
Death is often unexpected
To close the book and gracefully decline,
To pass away peacefully
The song has found a tale.
An anecdotal reference to life's journey
My, what a jealous pool she is.
The pool may seem to reflect negativity or judgment
The face in the water looks up
You see your own reflection in the pool once again
She shakes her head as if to say
The reflection seems to show disapproval once again
That the bluegirls have all gone away.
All the women have disappeared, leaving behind only memories
Look into the pool,
Reflect on past memories and actions
Ripples never come back,
Emphasizes the permanence of past actions and their effects
Dive to the bottom and go to the top
Explore every aspect of past actions and their consequences
To see where they have gone
To understand where actions have led
Oh, they've gone to the other side
Past actions and their consequences have left and cannot be changed
Contributed by Tyler O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
John Hardin
I think Amanda nails this song with the emotion intended. Phil is great. But Amanda put the real spirit into this song about life and our mortality. And Steve is just the stuff of legends. Love this song.
john mcghee
Too many of you are comparing. It's not a contest, it's a beautiful song performed beautifully.
Massimo Sposaro
One of my favorite songs of Genesis but there's no comparison between Phil Collins and Amanda voice.
Phil's voice fits perfectly with this song.
Ronaldo Sena
You're right
Pablo Gomez
this like when blackmore put on the Blackmore´s night concerts deep purple songs and is strange .
pcesarprontidao
yes..
Adam Pocwiardowski
+Massimo Sposaro Absolutely. Only Phil's voice fits here.
pcesarprontidao
You're right
Edmond Dantes
One of the most beautiful songs written by Messrs Banks and Rutherford!
Stellarch
OMG, Amanda still looks as a girl in her late teens or early years as a young adult... She makes me dream of my twenties.. and this song is so gorgeous that I can't help but cry