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.”
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“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".
Shelter
Xavier Rudd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here I'm at one with these trees
And all these birds sing to my rhythms
And these waves they comfort me
Do what you will while you're able
Find what it is that you seek
Only I'll fly, fly, fly above the ocean
If it's shelter you're searching for
One that I cannot provide
Well, I wish you well on your journey
I hope your dreams they come alive
I hope your dreams back down and they, they thrive
I hope your dreams they come alive
Do, Do, Do
Do, Do, Do
Do, Do, Do
Well, I filled my cup with the answers
And I filled my cup with your lies
You topped it up with your mysterys
And all those secrets I denied
Do what you will while you're able
Find what it is that you seek
Only I'll fly, fly, fly above the ocean
I will fly so high above the see
If it's shelter you're searching for
One that I cannot provide
Well, I wish you well on your journey
I hope your dreams they come alive
I hope your dreams back down and they, they thrive
I Hope Your Dreams They Come Alive
I Hope Your Dreams Back Down And Thrive
Do, Do, Do
Do, Do, Do
Do, Do, Do
The lyrics of the song "Shelter" by Xavier Rudd are deep and introspective. The first stanza talks about the singer finding solace and peace in nature. The trees and birds are in harmony with him, and the waves provide comfort. The second stanza talks about the singer's pursuit of knowledge and truth. He has filled his cup with answers, but also with lies that others have told him. However, he refuses to be burdened with other people's secrets and mysteries.
The chorus of the song talks about how the singer cannot provide shelter for someone else's journey. It is up to them to find what they seek and fly high above the ocean. The message is one of self-discovery and self-reliance. The singer wishes the listener well on their journey and hopes that their dreams will come alive and thrive.
Overall, the lyrics of the song encourage the listener to look within themselves for guidance and to find their own shelter. The natural world provides solace and inspiration, and it is up to the individual to pursue their own dreams and truths.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, here I am this is my shelter
I have found my place of safety and peace, where I can be myself.
Here I'm at one with these trees
I am in harmony with nature and feel connected to it.
And all these birds sing to my rhythms
The birds around me seem to echo my feelings and make me feel alive and free.
And these waves they comfort me
The sound of the waves is soothing and calming, and makes me feel secure.
Do what you will while you're able
Live your life to the fullest while you can, without any regrets.
Find what it is that you seek
Discover your true passion and pursue it relentlessly.
Only I'll fly, fly, fly above the ocean
I will push myself to reach new heights, to explore new horizons and make my dreams come true.
I will fly so high above the sea
I will aim for the skies, beyond what I currently know, overcoming any fears or uncertainties.
If it's shelter you're searching for
If you are looking for a sense of safety and belonging.
One that I cannot provide
I may not be able to offer that to you, but I wish you well on your journey.
Well, I wish you well on your journey
May you find your own path, your own sense of meaning, and live a fulfilling life.
I hope your dreams they come alive
May your aspirations and wishes flourish and become a reality, inspiring and motivating you every day.
I hope your dreams back down and they, they thrive
May you find the strength and determination to face any obstacles and succeed, without ever giving up.
Well, I filled my cup with the answers
I thought I knew everything and had all the solutions, but I was wrong.
And I filled my cup with your lies
I allowed myself to be deceived and manipulated by others, who didn't have my best interests at heart.
You topped it up with your mysteries
You added even more confusion and complexity to my life, making it harder to understand the truth.
And all those secrets I denied
I chose to ignore the signs, the warnings, the facts, and pretend that everything was fine.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: XAVIER RUDD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind