“Ripple” by Chris Hillman

Published June 27, 2012

“Ripple” is one of the finest of songs. Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter wrote it. I bet when they finished and went home, Jerry had supper, took a nice hot shower and started singing to himself. I think he sang his new song, “Ripple” over and over until the hot water ran out. That’s what I woulda done if I had written it. As a one time songwriter, I can tell you that when you finish something you are proud of, it is exhilarating. And I never wrote anything anywhere close to a classic like “Ripple.”

Chris Hillman, on the other hand, has written his share of amazing songs and he has one of the great voices to boot. A founding member of The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas, Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, Desert Rose Band, plus collaborations with Roger McGuinn, and as a solo artist, Chris Hillman has been in the middle of a lot of great music and extraordinary musicians, himself among them.

One of the best versions of “Ripple” that I know of, here is Chris Hillman with our HarryShots Song of the Day. HL