A Beautifully Animated Grateful Dead Song 'Ripple' Made 50 Years After Its Release

[Pluvious]

In honor of the 50th anniversary of their album American Beauty in November 2020, the Grateful Dead released a beautifully animated music video for one of the album’s most popular songs “Ripple”. The video, which captured the hopeful and mystical spirit of the song so well, was animated by T. Nakayama with animation production by Robert Capria, both of Actuality Films.

The Grateful Dead’s “Ripple” became a kind of cosmic spiritual after its debut 50 years ago. Since then, the universal appeal of Robert Hunter’s serene prose and the band’s heartfelt performance have made the song a popular choice at everything from weddings to funerals. As relevant now as ever before, the enduring optimism of “Ripple” is a welcome reminder of better days ahead, when songs will, once again, fill the air.

[Arne]

1. Minstrels of reality,Thanx.

[kurtcagle]

2. Very nice

And like so many things that the Grateful Dead have done, likely to be deconstructed for years.

[Nitram]

3. I've long been interested in the iconography and symbolism of the Tarot. This animation uses

the deck in a very interesting way. It would take several viewings before I'd be able to make a coherent analysis of the meaning of the Tarot in this context.

[Pluvious]

10. I didn't realize they included Tarot cards...

I did notice near the end all the zodiac signs in a circle.

Maybe there's a connection ?

[Nitram]

14. Almost the entire animation morphs between the symbology on different Tarot cards.

[OAITW r.2.0]

4. Thanks for posting!

50 years....can you believe it? Seems like yesterday. Still have that LP, somewhere, in my attic....

[Pluvious]

11. All I want to know is...

Where does the time go !

My first exposure to Dead culture was being blown away by the Grateful Dead movie in the 70's.

That had some trippy animation too !

[burrowowl]

5. Nice animation!

[OneBlueSky]

6. Beautiful! . . . here's another interpretation from the "Playing for Change" folks . . .

Enjoy! . . .

[Pluvious]

12. This has to be one of the most inspiring productions ever - just beautiful (nt)

[Hekate]

7. Thank you

Bookmarked

[pecosbob]

8. Let me share this cover by a Texas treasure, Jimmie Dale Gilmore

[Pluvious]

13. Thank you for sharing

Such a contrast from Jerry's blues/folk to a more country take.

A great listen

Writing of contrasts, I assume you've heard Jane's Addiction cover ?

[pecosbob]

15. No...must look that up when I get a chance

[pfitz59]

9. A timeless classic

Simple and beautiful