Better People :: Xavier Rudd

Guest Blogger::Emily

I was first introduced to Xavier Rudd by a close friend of mine. On a very random night, I met my (soon to be) friend, an Irishman who was stopping through the US on his way to live and work in Australia. He had no job lined up, no place to stay, no real plan, just $600 in his pocket and a dream. Three years later, keeping in touch only through text messages, we reunited and he brought me a gift of all of Xavier Rudd’s CDs. We were only together for a week, but he said that I would learn a lot about him while he was gone by listening to Xavier’s music.

So I did, and I want to share it with all of you. Xavier has an amazing sense of the intersection between humanity and nature. He seems to be a man who knows himself and who is in tune with the echoes of the earth on which we live. He is a native Australian, and many of his songs pay tribute to the Australian Aboriginal people (see: “Land Rights” and “Anni Kookoo” on his White Moth album). He plays all of his own instruments, including the didgeridoo. His website describes his music as an “amalgamation of folk, reggae, rock and world music”.


Really, all of his songs are good. I chose to write about “Better People” (off the album, White Moth, because of its sense of honesty, beauty, inspiration, and hope in a (at times) dreary, hopeless, and mean world. As he points out, there are some people who don’t listen or care, but there are lots of people who do care and are working to heal each other. Our earth is wounded, but there is overwhelming beauty in nature and humanity.

From a musical stand point, he really uses his voice as an instrument. He does not just talk or sing over the music, he and his words become a part of the music. I really like his infusions of different styles and the music quality in general. It’s unique.

Let me know if you want recommendations of others songs of his. Also, more information about Xavier, his music, and his mission can be found HERE.

Enjoy and pass along!




Better People::Xavier Rudd

you people saving whales,
giving your thanks to our seas
my respect to the ones in the forest,
standing up for our old trees

them giving food to the hungry
giving hope to the needy
giving life to a baby
giving care for free
cause there is freedom around us
we have everything we need
i will care for you
because you care for me
we all have opinions
some of them get through
but there’s better people
with more good to do
good to do...

what I have could be a message
or just some words from my heart
my respect to the ones making changes
for other lives they’ll give their own

like giving food to the hungry
giving hope to the needy
giving life to a baby
giving care for free
cause there is freedom around us
we have everything we need
i will care for you
because you care for me
we all have opinions
some of them get through
but there’s better people
with more good to do
good to do...

well our world it keeps spinning
round and round it goes
human nature keeps spreading its disease
and our children keeps growing up with
what they know from what we teach
and what they see
and it’s only a question of the time we have
and the lives that our children will lead
they can only keep growing up with
what they know from what we teach
and what they see

like giving food to the hungry
giving hope to the needy
giving life to a baby
giving care for free
cause there is freedom around us
we have everything we need
i will care for you
because you care for me
we all have opinions
some of them get through
but there’s better people
with more good to do
good to do...