Frightened Rabbit was an indie rock band which formed in 2003 in Glasgow, S… Read Full Bio ↴Frightened Rabbit was an indie rock band which formed in 2003 in Glasgow, Scotland. The band consisted of Scott Hutchison (b. 20 November 1981, d. 9 May 2018), Billy Kennedy (guitar, keyboards), Grant Hutchison (drums, vocals), and Andy Monaghan (guitar, keyboards). The band has released five albums: "Sing the Greys" (2006), "The Midnight Organ Fight" (2008), "The Winter of Mixed Drinks" (2010), "Pedestrian Verse" (2013) and "Painting of a Panic Attack" (2016). Lead singer Scott Hutchison (b. November 20, 1981) was found dead on May 10, [yearended]2018[/yearended] several days after going missing, causing the band to break up.

Andy joined the band after the release of Midnight Organ Fight, allowing them to play many songs from the album they would previously have struggled to fill out instrumentally. Gordon joined the band in November 2009 and is a former member of Make Model. He left the band in 2014.

The origins of the band are rooted in 2003, when Scott began playing solo shows under the name Frightened Rabbit, mostly in support of fellow art-schoolers Shitdisco. Recordings were made on a tascam 4-track recorder, with Scott playing all the instruments (some more proficiently than others). Though looser, sparser, and certainly more lo-fi in terms of production values, their early demos still attest to a burgeoning talent with a defined personality and a now familiar penchant for being able to create widely appreciated pop songs.

In 2004 Scott’s brother Grant moved to Glasgow, Scotland, contributing drums to certain recorded tracks, and playing live. Frightened Rabbit became louder and better. They burnt 50 copies of their subsequent demo, and sent some out to labels, resulting in three tracks being hosted on the FatCat MP3/demo website, and marking the beginning of a wonderful relationship. In 2006, Billy joined the band playing primarily second guitar, making Frightened Rabbit in the band’s own words, a wee bit better and louder still. That February they went into The Diving Bell Lounge studio with Glasgow based producer Marcus Mackay to record some songs over the course of a week. The intention was to record a better quality demo, but the resultant recordings ended up as the bands debut LP Sing The Greys, of which 1000 copies were pressed and released that May on home grown label Hits The Fan.

An incredibly accomplished live outfit (seemingly without any effort whatsoever), further live dates followed into 2007, including a brief but successful US jaunt, culminating in a sold-out show at The Mercury Lounge in NYC, before the album was even available in the US. After an intense spate of writing, rehearsing, recording, and remixing, and of course playing more live shows, ‘Sing The Greys’ was remastered by Alan Douches, and re-released in significantly revamped form by FatCat Autumn 2007, along with debut single ‘Be Less Rude’. Rounding off the year with the incredible 'It's Christmas So We'll Stop' single.

In April 2008, the band released their second full length, "The Midnight Organ Fight", a progression in terms of songwriting, sonic depth, and as a fully realised entity. Recorded by Peter Katis (Mercury Rev, Interpol) over the space of two weeks, and mixed over the ensuing fortnight, ‘Midnight Organ Fight’ was conceived and realised in a much shorter time span than its predecessor, with the intention of creating a more coherent, ‘pop’ sounding album. Yet although musically more immediate, vitally, the band have not forsaken the personality or passion of any of their earlier recordings.

In July 2008, a live rendition of ‘Midnight Organ Fight’ was recorded in Glasgow, and mixed by Mice Parade’s Adam Pierce, entitled 'Liver! Lung! Fr!' The stripped-down instrumentation brings singer Scott Hutchison’s vocal delivery - now wrenching, now soaring - to the fore, showcasing the emotive lyrics and memorable melodies that have earned the band their passionate following. This album was released in the United States in late 2008, and a world release date to followed in March 2009.

The band's third album "The Winter of Mixed Drinks" was released in early 2010. The fourth album “Pedestrian Verse” was released in 2013, while their fifth and final album “Painting of a Panic Attack” was released in 2016.

Break
Frightened Rabbit Lyrics

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Took my bag underneath the overpass
Woke up to bend and now have broken all we have
Nothing's worse than realizing who you've hurt
I didn't bend and now we eat the consequence

Over the edge I can't stop myself
Off the ledge throwing punches
Over the edge I can't steer myself

All over again, I don't want this

If I bend then I might not breathe
I should think about giving in
If I bend then it might be okay
If we're thinking about how it ends

If I bend then I might not breathe
I should think about giving in
If I bend then it might be okay
Put down the bag in the calm before the aftermath

Can we pick up all the debris of our bitter past
Nothing's worse than realizing who you've hurt
I didn't bend and now we eat the consequence

Over the edge I can't stop myself
Off the ledge throwing punches
Over the edge I can't steer myself
All over again, I don't want this

If I bend then I might not breathe
I should think about giving in
If I bend then it might be okay
If we're thinking about how it ends

If I bend then I might not breathe
I should think about giving in

If I bend then it might be okay
If we're thinking about how it ends

Overall Meaning

These lyrics from Frightened Rabbit's song "Break" explore the theme of the consequences of refusing to acknowledge and address the hurt we cause in relationships. The opening lines "Took my bag underneath the overpass, Woke up to bend and now have broken all we have" suggest a situation where the singer had a chance to mend a broken relationship, but instead, they made things worse. The phrase "now have broken all we have" implies that their actions have caused irreversible damage.

The line "Nothing's worse than realizing who you've hurt" highlights the painful realization of having harmed someone you care about. It speaks to the regret and guilt that can come with the recognition of the consequences of one's actions. The singer acknowledges that not bending and refusing to make amends has led to negative outcomes, as they lament, "I didn't bend and now we eat the consequence."

The repetition of the phrase "Over the edge I can't stop myself, Off the ledge throwing punches" portrays a sense of losing control and being consumed by anger or frustration. It suggests a pattern of self-destructive behavior, as though the singer is unable to help but engage in destructive actions, almost like throwing punches in a fight. This behavior only exacerbates the situation, leading them to feel trapped and unable to navigate the situation, as expressed in the line "Over the edge I can't steer myself, All over again, I don't want this."

The following lines "If I bend then I might not breathe, I should think about giving in" reveal a struggle within the singer. They contemplate surrendering to the situation, perhaps by admitting fault or making amends. The idea that bending might take away their ability to breathe suggests the anxiety and fear of facing the consequences of their actions head-on. However, there is also a glimmer of hope in the line "If I bend then it might be okay, If we're thinking about how it ends," suggesting that finding a resolution could potentially bring about a positive outcome.

The closing lines "Put down the bag in the calm before the aftermath, Can we pick up all the debris of our bitter past" signify a desire for peace and reconciliation. The singer longs for a moment of calm before dealing with the aftermath of their actions. They express hope in being able to repair the damage caused, referring to their past as "bitter" and emphasizing the need to pick up the debris left behind.

Overall, the lyrics illustrate the internal struggle and conflict associated with recognizing the harm one has caused in a relationship and the longing for resolution, forgiveness, and redemption. It explores the theme of facing the consequences of one's actions and the potential for growth and healing if one is willing to bend and mend what has been broken.

Line by Line Meaning

Took my bag underneath the overpass
Carried my baggage to a hidden place of vulnerability

Woke up to bend and now have broken all we have
Realized the need to compromise, but ended up damaging our relationship

Nothing's worse than realizing who you've hurt
The pain of understanding the harm inflicted on someone

I didn't bend and now we eat the consequence
Refusing to compromise resulted in facing the negative outcome

Over the edge I can't stop myself
Feeling out of control and unable to halt the negative spiral

Off the ledge throwing punches
Reacting impulsively and aggressively in a state of distress

Over the edge I can't steer myself
Losing direction and being unable to navigate through the chaos

All over again, I don't want this
Experiencing the same painful cycle and wishing for a different outcome

If I bend then I might not breathe
If I compromise, it may suffocate and suppress me

I should think about giving in
Considering the option of surrendering and yielding to the situation

If I bend then it might be okay
Perhaps by compromising, things could improve or be resolved

Put down the bag in the calm before the aftermath
Let go of emotional baggage during a brief moment of serenity before the chaos settles

Can we pick up all the debris of our bitter past
Can we reconcile and mend the remnants of our painful history together

If we're thinking about how it ends
If we contemplate the eventual outcome and consequences

Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVID KENNEDY, GRANT HUTCHISON, SCOTT HUTCHISON, ANDY MONAGHAN, SIMON LIDDELL, AARON BROOKING, SCOTT DESSNER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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