“Ripple” was never built around chart ambition, yet it has become one of the most enduring songs in the Grateful Dead catalog. Written by Robert Hunter and set to a restrained melody by Jerry Garcia, the track emerged as a gentle folk meditation within a psychedelic rock universe. It circulated quietly beyond radio peaks and industry metrics, finding life in gatherings, acoustic sets, and shared moments between listeners. Decades later, “Ripple” stands as a defining piece of American songwriting, carried forward by community memory rather than commercial momentum.