Born in London to a Greek father and Scottish-French mother, Murdoch was raised in Greece (just outside of Athens) until he was ten and then moved to Scotland with his family. He attended university in the United States (in North Carolina). He currently lives between New York and a small house on the remote west coast of Scotland where he spends his days writing and working on a small wooden sailing boat.
Murdoch's early recordings were self-released on his own Zero Summer Records. Four Songs (2002) was a four song EP released on the site CD Baby where it was, for a time, the site's all-time number-one selling record. Time Without Consequence, a traditional eleven song record, was released in 2006. It was one of the most licensed albums of the decade, receiving placements on dozens of films and television shows. A number of new songs are previewed in the 2009 movie Away We Go, a film created by director Sam Mendes and written by husband-and-wife team of Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida. The soundtrack featured nine of his songs in total..
Murdoch released his third recording, Towards the Sun (2009), exclusively through his website as a limited edition CD in a hand-numbered sleeve. The album was officially released on March 8th 2011.
In June 2012, Murdoch's song "All My Days" was used to promote the BBC's advert campaign for the following Summer's BBC iPlayer features. In September and October 2012, "All My Days" was featured in the U.S. in a television commercial for Sprint wireless.
the light
Alexi Murdoch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
His back is bare he carries no burden for anyone
I see the island, a silver line
Brother how you shine
And all around the light
And all around the light
Now I see my father he's so small against the sky
He doesn't know who he's supposed to be
Father you are free
And all around the light
And all around the light
Now my momma she is crying on the stair
Her hands are leaves, the light is in her hair
As she prays she thinks that no one heard
Mother you are a bird
Mother you are a bird
And all around the light
And all around the light
And all around the light
All around the light
In "The Light," Alexi Murdoch reflects on the lives of his family members and how they are represented by the light. Through his brother, Murdoch notes the independence and freedom that comes when someone is unburdened by responsibility. The silver line of the island represents the light that shines from his brother. On the other hand, when Murdoch sees his father, he recognizes the weight of responsibility and the impact that it can have. Murdoch references the shadow on his father's eye as a reminder of the burden on his father's shoulders. However, the light is all around him, and Murdoch reminds his dad that he is free.
Finally, Murdoch addresses his mother. Her crying on the stair represents her sorrow and struggles. Her hands are leaves, a symbol of nature and growth, and the light is in her hair. The light symbolizes hope, and through her prayers, Murdoch's mother finds solace.
Overall, "The Light" is a reflective piece that highlights the different ways in which light symbolizes freedom, burden, and hope in the lives of Murdoch's family members.
Line by Line Meaning
See my brother he is walking in the sun
Observing someone close to the singer, who is happy and unburdened
His back is bare he carries no burden for anyone
The person being observed has no obligation towards anyone and is carefree
I see the island, a silver line
The singer sees an island, possibly as a metaphor for something bright and hopeful
Brother how you shine
The person being observed shines with their own light
And all around the light
The light is an omnipresent force affecting everyone
Now I see my father he's so small against the sky
The singer observes their father, who appears insignificant in comparison to nature
Child, the tree, the shadow is on his eye
The child's view is restricted, as if a tree were blocking their sight
He doesn't know who he's supposed to be
Scattered thoughts and uncertainty plague the father's mind
Father you are free
The singer reassures their father that he doesn't have to have a clear identity set in stone
Now my momma she is crying on the stair
The singer's mother is crying, possibly due to personal struggles
Her hands are leaves, the light is in her hair
Nature imagery suggests that the mother is connected to and affected by the world around her
As she prays she thinks that no one heard
The mother feels unheard and maybe even ignored
Mother you are a bird
The singer reassures their mother that she is free to soar
And all around the light
The light continues to affect everyone and everything in its vicinity
All around the light
Reiterating the fact that light is a pervasive force
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Alexi Murdoch
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@amixofeverything
Perfect. There is nobody who writes music like he does today.
@michelearmatore8641
cansoni di soi luna
@pedrocubillos4939
This is, in my opinion, by far, the best perfomance of Alexi. Never seen another artist like him, go beyond any explanation, and believe me, I've tried.
@andrewat13
Such a talented man. Makes me want to start writing songs again
@CoachStefanRudolph
Speaks deeply and resonates beyond belief with me from my journey in trying to reach out to my father for 10 years after finding out I had a half-brother I never knew about :( but with his song and words of wisdom it brings..."Light" :)
@XtremeCoreShubham
I hope you met your half brother. Touchy lines.
@cjjvids
Absolutely beautiful. This is what real music is. A piece of his soul.
@doc-vg9lq
when he talks about his father i tear up every time. reminds me of my dad who passed away. it always gives me this image of my dad not remembering or knowing who he was in some afterlife place.
@fromdusktilldawn862
I love his songs .. he soul is pure
@jasonjones3436
One of the most beautiful songs ever written.