Ripple

G  C  G  C  G D C G
                                          G                                 C
                If my words did glow with the gold of sunshine
                                                                                    G
                And my tunes were played on the harp unstrung
                                                                                         C
                Would you hear my voice come through the music
                                  G         D     C                        G
                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

     (B)(B)(Bb)  Am     Am7     D
                          Ripple in still water
                                              G     G7        C
                          When there is no pebble tossed
                                A     A7 D
                          Or wind to blow...

                Reach out your hand if your cup is 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
                          Or 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 da
                      La da, la da, la da da da da da
                      La da da, la da da da da da
                      La da da da da, la da da da da...

      

For me, Ripple epitomizes Jerry's approach to guitar. The introduction is made up of just three chords, but within those chords are the notes for a beautiful melody. The same melody runs throughout the verse. I was able to figure out the chords to the chorus by listening to "Reckoning" which is a little more explicit than the album version.

        
   Intro:
             -->     G                   C
       e |-----------3----3----------------00-----00---00----
       B |-----------00---00-------0---0---11-----11---11----
       G |---------0-00---00---0-0---2---0-00-----00---00----
       D |-------0---00---00------------------0h2------22-2--
       A |-2-2-3-----2--2----------------------------3-------
       E |-------------------3-------------------------------
                      ^    ^                ^      ^    ^

                                              G
       e |-------00------------------00-------1--
       B |-------11---1-1-1---1------11-------0--
       G |-----0-00-0-0h2-0-0-0----0----0-----0--
       D |-0-2--------------2---0-2-------2-0-0--
       A |------------------------------------2--
       E |------------------------------------3--
                  ^                   ^

                                       C
       e |---------33---33---------------00-----00--00----
       B |---------00---00-------0---0---11-----11--11----
       G |---------00---00---0-0---2---0-00-----00--00----
       D |-----0---00---00------------------0h2-----22-2--
       A |-2-3-----22-2-22------------------------3-------
       E |-------3---------3------------------------------
                    ^    ^                ^      ^   ^

               G        D         C       G
       e |-----3-33-------22---22-----------33---33----
       B |-----0-00-0-1---33---33---1-1-1---00---00----
       G |-0h2-0-00-----2-22---22---0-0h2-0-00---00----
       D |-----0-0-----------0----2--------------00----
       A |-----2-2-----------------------------2-22----
       E |-----3------------------------------------3--
                  ^        ^    ^            ^    ^

     ^ = upstroke
     h = hammer-on