Meaning of "Ripples" by Steve Hackett

The lyrics of "Ripples" delve into the themes of beauty, time, and change. The bluegirls with pretty blue eyes represent fleeting moments of beauty that are subject to the passage of time. There is a melancholic undertone in the way the song discusses how beauty fades and how even the most beautiful, like the face that launched a thousand ships, can sink fast. The imagery of the face in the water shaking its head as if to say that the bluegirls have all gone away conveys a sense of loss and nostalgia for what once was. The song serves as a reflection on the transience of life and its ephemeral nature, urging listeners to appreciate the present moment before it, too, slips away.