Biography
Early Life
Born and raised outside of Peterborough, Ontario, Royal Wood grew up in a household filled with music. He began playing piano by ear at the age of four and started lessons at age eight. With the support of his school music program, he had access to a variety of different instruments, and by his teens, he became well-versed in many different instruments, including the guitar, bass guitar, drums, clarinet, and trumpet.
After high school, he studied business at McGill University. During this time, he had limited access to a piano, and focused on his guitar playing while trying to find his voice as a songwriter.
Career
Wood released his first EP, entitled The Milkweed EP, in 2002. This collection of songs were written, arranged, performed and produced by Wood himself. The release garnered much critical acclaim, and critics drew comparisons with Randy Newman, Jeff Buckley, and Tom Waits.
Following the release of his debut EP, Wood set out to create an over-the-top pop record for his full-length debut. Drawing inspiration from The Beatles and The Beach Boys, Wood once again undertook production duties during the recording sessions. In 2004, he released his full-length debut record, Tall Tales on Maple Music. The record’s ornate sound and layered arrangements garnered much critical attention, and Wood was praised for his vocal style and infectious lyricism.
With the goal of creating a more mature and pristine sound, Wood entered Toronto's Reaction Studios in 2005 to begin recording the follow-up to his full-length debut. During the recording session, he used a Steinway grand piano, scored a full string quartet, and also enlisted the help of many well-known musicians, including Hawksley Workman and Kurt Swinghammer. The result was A Good Enough Day, which was released in 2007 on Dead Daisy Records in Canada, and in 2008 on Rounder Europe. The record received much radio attention domestically and abroad, and Wood was praised by critics for his fluent piano playing, melodic lyrical style and production ability.
The record spawned three singles and three music videos, “A Mirror Without”, “Juliet” and “I’m So Glad”. Music from the record has also been featured on several TV and movie soundtracks, including TMN/Movie Central's Regenesis, the CBC series This is Wonderland, the CTV movie Playing House, the film The End of Silence, and the Food Network’s The Surreal Gourmet. Internationally, A Mirror Without was featured on an episode of Grey's Anatomy.
With the success of A Good Enough Day, Wood was invited to share the stage with numerous Canadian songstresses, including Emm Gryner, Sarah Harmer[16], Kathleen Edwards, Sarah Slean, Jill Barber and Serena Ryder.
In support of the Rounder Europe release of the record, he also embarked on a European tour in 2008.
Constantly evolving, Wood wanted to focus his next effort on the lyrics and string arrangements. The result was the 2009 release The Lost and Found EP. With a consistently growing fan base, Wood embarked on his first headlining tour in Western Canada in November, 2009 in support of the new EP. Joined by Atlantic Canadian singer-songwriter Rose Cousins, Wood played to capacity crowds during three-week tour.
In 2010 he released "The Waiting" after which he was named iTunes Songwriter of the Year. With the release of The Waiting he has an upcoming national theatre tour with David Gray and more in the works.
Discography
The Milkweed EP (2002)
Tall Tales (2004)
A Good Enough Day (2007)
The Lost and Found EP (2009)
The Waiting (2010)
Safe Haven
Royal Wood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Does not keep me honest when honest does feel
The furthest most reach from our fingers and I
I look to the stars and they look to your eyes
ALL ALONE
For trumpets are sounding in the distance tonight
And ravens keep winding to their endless sights
I look to the stars and they look into your eyes
For surely I know, if I flee here tonight
That I'd be alone, a singular fright
And I'm sure that I'd crumble and crease in the weight
It's safe in your arms, in your arms I will stay
ALL ALONE
Towers will fall and countries will, too
With generals left not knowing what to do
And pleading to their Gods with prayers much too late
They will look to your eyes and I'll not look away
For surely I know, if I flee here tonight
That I'd be alone, a singular fright
And I'm sure that I'd crumble and crease in the weight
It's safe in your arms, in your arms I will stay
Oh surely I'd crumble and crease in the weight
It's safe in your arms, in your arms I will stay
Oh then maybe we'll lay down, we'll lay down
Oh in the safe haven that we've made, that we've made
Oh...
In "Safe Haven," Royal Wood sings about finding comfort and safety in the love of another person. He walks through wind-swept fields with his beloved, but he acknowledges that their physical proximity doesn't necessarily keep him honest. He looks to the stars and to his partner's eyes for guidance because, in times of trouble and uncertainty, being alone can be a singular fright. Wood imagines a world in crisis where even generals are left unsure what to do and countries crumble. But in the face of such overwhelming circumstances, the singer ultimately finds solace in his partner's arms.
Line by Line Meaning
Walking with you in these wind-swept fields
Being with you in challenging situations doesn't guarantee my honesty when honesty isn't convenient.
Does not keep me honest when honest does feel
I might not remain truthful even when I'm with you.
The furthest most reach from our fingers and I
Even though we're close, we're not near enough to touch each other.
I look to the stars and they look to your eyes
When I seek guidance or reassurance, I look at you because you're my rock.
For trumpets are sounding in the distance tonight
I sense that something important or alarming is happening, which makes me uneasy.
And ravens keep winding to their endless sights
Nature carries on with its routine despite human affairs.
To the furthest most reach from our fingers and I
We can't touch each other even though we're close.
I look to the stars and they look into your eyes
When I seek guidance or reassurance, I look at you because you're my rock.
For surely I know, if I flee here tonight
If ever I run away, I'd be scared and lonely.
That I'd be alone, a singular fright
I'd be frightened by the idea of being by myself.
And I'm sure that I'd crumble and crease in the weight
I'd be crushed under the weight of loneliness and solitude.
It's safe in your arms, in your arms I will stay
Being with you makes me feel safe and secure.
Towers will fall and countries will, too
The world is unpredictable, and things that seem permanent can be destroyed or dismantled.
With generals left not knowing what to do
Even the most powerful leaders can be lost or powerless in uncertain circumstances.
And pleading to their Gods with prayers much too late
When everything seems hopeless, people turn to religion in despair.
They will look to your eyes and I'll not look away
If anyone seeks solace in you, I'll support and stand by you.
Oh then maybe we'll lay down, we'll lay down
If all else fails, we can rest and draw comfort from each other.
Oh in the safe haven that we've made, that we've made
Together, we've created a place of security and safety for ourselves.
Oh...
A sound that expresses unspoken emotions or thoughts.
Contributed by Carter I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.