Growing up in a family of seven children in Torquay, Victoria (Australia), near the famous surfing location Bells Beach, Rudd showed a keen interest in music. While primary school-aged, Rudd used his mother's vacuum cleaner as a makeshift didgeridoo and he began playing his brother's guitar. He also played saxophone and clarinet as a child.
Before launching his solo career, Rudd began playing music as part of the band 'Xavier and the Hum'. In 2004, Rudd released Solace, his first album to be distributed by a major label.
Rudd's music is compassionate and always manages to render emotion in his fans. His songs include stories of the mistreatment of the indigenous people of his homeland; they tell of humanity, spirituality or the environment. The songs are written and sung with compassion and they urge the celebration of life.
Rudd is skilled with a variety of instruments, include guitar, shaker, didgeridoo, Weissenborn slide guitar, Tongue drum, stomp boxe, djembe, harmonica, ankle bells, and slide banjo. It's an experience to watch him perform his songs live, as he plays the guitar, digeridoo and various percussion instruments simultaneously, using a unique stage setup. But the real magic comes when he opens his mouth and his soulful voice spills upon his audience.
Rudd recalls that when he was 10, his dad took him to see Paul Simon’s Graceland tour. “I remember seeing it and knowing that that was what I was gonna do,” he says. “I had no doubt. It sort of made sense, because I’d always lived in my head, in this world of song that was my own little secret. But to see that show and that whole thing happening, I sort of felt comfortable as a human, and thought.” He learned to play the digeridoo, the 50,000-year-old wooden trumpet of the Aboriginal people, by practising on a vacuum cleaner pipe.
As a teenager, Rudd really got into songwriting. He started performing at his school, with solo gigs following. He drew inspiration from artists such as Leo Kottke, Ben Harper, Natalie Merchant and multi-instrumentalist David Lindley, as well as music from diverse sources, such as Hawaii and Native American music.
As with most solo artists, Rudd has experimented playing in a band. Though it was a short- lived experiment, as Rudd quickly found that it wasn't the right way to go for him. “What I do now is just more me,” he says. “And it sounds full.”
Quotes:
“It’s all about peace and happiness,” he says of his performances. “That’s sort of the blanket that seems to sort of settle in the room, or on the venue when I play, but I sort of feel not solely responsible. I don’t really feel like it’s me and the audience. I feel like it’s all of us, one big connection and I just happen to be channeling the energy through music. It comes from the audience and channels through me and I put it back in the audience.”
“My music is about good spirit. I’m so lucky to be able to do what I do. I’m so blessed to be able to be able to travel around and play music and connect with so many people in so many places in so many cultures. It’s a gift of life as a musician.”
After the failure of his marriage in 2009, Rudd was supported in his grief and recovery by new South African bandmates, bassist Tio Moloantoa and percussionist Andile Nqubezelo. Rudd had met Moloantoa and Nqubezelo performing at the 2008 Wiesen Nuke Festival in Austria. Rudd described his connection with Moloantoa and Nqubezelo as musical, spiritual and emotional—"I feel like they were sent to me," he said.
In 2010 Rudd bought 20 hectares of property at Koonyum Range, Mullumbimby, the location was the inspiration for the name of the album Rudd would release with Moloantoa and Nqubezelo, titled "Koonyum Sun", as Xavier Rudd & Izintaba. The album moved away from the heavier sound of Rudd's 2008 album "Dark Shades of Blue" to a more up-beat style.
"Nanna", the 2015 album Rudd released as Xavier Rudd & the United Nations champions cultural understanding and condemns racism and intolerance. It features a diverse group of musicians from Australia, South Africa, Samoa, Germany, Ireland, and Papua New Guinea.
In 2018, Rudd released "Storm Boy".
Bow Down
Xavier Rudd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Making lame excuses for their greed while that
oil spills into the sea
And the Whalers now still killing whales and old
growth bush still being raped
And I know we will have busy lives but sing along
if you have the time
Bow Down to your God
place your hand on a tree
Who’s helping your breath
Give thanks to the sun
when you open your lungs
Throw your buts in the bin
help the old turtles swim
Selling tourism on sacred land while the local
mob sit on their hands
if what I’m speaking here makes any sense open
up my friend and jump the fence
Bow Down to your God
but don’t forget about the earth
place your hand on a tree
Who’s helping your breath
Give thanks to the sun
when you open your lungs
Throw your buts in the bin
help the old turtles swim
Freedom for all
Xavier Rudd's song "Bow Down" is a call to action against government corruption and environmental destruction. The lyrics address various issues, such as indigenous land theft, oil spills, whaling, deforestation, littering, and tourism exploitation. Despite the seriousness of these topics, Rudd also encourages listeners to appreciate and protect nature. He reminds us to be grateful for the trees that provide oxygen, the sun that gives energy, and the turtles that inhabit the oceans. He also speaks to people's spiritual beliefs, urging them to respect their God but also to recognize that the earth needs our attention and care. The song ends with the phrase "Freedom for all," which may refer to the idea that environmental justice is a human right and that all people should have access to clean air, water, and land.
One interpretation of "Bow Down" is that it is a protest song that speaks to a wide range of global issues. The message encourages us to become more aware of our environmental impact and to take responsibility for it. It also suggests that we should not rely solely on government or religious leaders to make positive changes but that we, as individuals, should take action in our daily lives. This could mean reducing our carbon footprint, supporting sustainable practices, and standing up for social justice.
Line by Line Meaning
I sit here now 2010 government still stealing land
Even in modern times, the government is still forcefully taking land from indigenous people.
Making lame excuses for their greed while that oil spills into the sea
The government makes weak justifications for their own selfishness while oil spills continue to harm the environment.
And the Whalers now still killing whales and old growth bush still being raped
Whalers are still hunting whales, and the destruction of old-growth forests is still happening.
And I know we will have busy lives but sing along if you have the time
We may have busy schedules, but we should take the time to reflect on these issues and speak out against them.
Bow Down to your God but don’t forget about the earth
Respect your religion, but also remember to care for the planet.
place your hand on a tree Who’s helping your breath
Put your hand on a tree and understand its importance in providing oxygen.
Give thanks to the sun when you open your lungs
Be grateful for the sun, which is responsible for the air we breathe.
Throw your buts in the bin help the old turtles swim
Throw your cigarette butts in the trash to keep the ocean clean and protect sea turtles.
Selling tourism on sacred land while the local mob sit on their hands
Tourism is being promoted on sacred land while the native people who live there are powerless to stop it.
if what I’m speaking here makes any sense open up my friend and jump the fence
If what I'm saying resonates with you, open your mind to new possibilities and take action to make a difference.
Freedom for all
Everyone deserves the freedom to live a healthy and fulfilling life on a thriving planet.
Writer(s): Xavier Rudd
Contributed by Nolan S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@biancamueller3373
I love me and I love you - from daughter of the sun to Mr. Moon
@goldenarmpit101
Xavier, absolute inspiration to my life. You make this a better place. The best role model to everybody. The world is a better place with your inspirtation and music. Peace!
@talex997
FREEDOM FOR ALL!
@johnmiller-jf3ez
I absolutely love the aboriginal people in his videos. The spiritual inclination is close to my heart. My grandfather was a Cherokee Indian and their cultures have so many similarities. All native tribal Pagan cultures have similarities.
@Crischarles
why I'm here just today and not before. This song is so amazing
@elvisisthekingofmusicpresl4029
I think we all need to go back to our roots think we’re did we came from
@relatordefutbol87
go back to spanish elvis
@lovesoulma
Xavier, my Brother, you are a Rainbow Warrior of Pure Love. You lift up my soul, give me the courage to spread my wings of Love and Fly as a Spirit Bird. FREEDOM FOR ALL! Huge waves of Infinite Love and Gratutude coming your way...
@biancamueller3373
My coloring roll yay you found it
@WeAreChangeRotterdam
Be the change you wish to see in the world.... Free spirits everywhere... One Love 2 All