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.
Dead Now
Frightened Rabbit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A broken boxer stuffed with glass and sand
This is now how health should feel
Songs sung from the lungs of the elderly
I'm dead now, check my chest and you'll see
The light has been mined from me, burned for the heat
Oh I'm dead now can you hear the relief
I put my heart where my mouth is
Now I can't thumb it down again
I've gone devilled my kidneys
Now he's living inside of me
So if we can't bring an exorcist
I'll settle for one of your stiffest drinks
And we'll scream hell towards heaven's door
And I will piss on your front porch
I'm dead now, check my chest you'll see
The light has been mined from me, burned for the heat
Oh I'm dead now can you hear the relief
As life's belligerent symphonies finally cease
Oh, we're all dead now, join hands and we'll sing
To the glory of hell and the virtue of sin oh
There's something wrong with me
There's something wrong with me
And it reads nothing like poetry
So will you love me spite of these
Ties and inconsistencies
There is something wrong with me
Oh theres something wrong with me,
Oh it reads nothing like poetry
Ah will you love me spite of these
Ties and inconsistencies
There is something wrong with me
The lyrics of Frightened Rabbit's song Dead Now delve deep into themes of depression and self-destructive behavior. The singer laments that he is not himself, that he feels like a broken boxer stuffed with glass and sand. It's clear that he is grappling with feelings of desperation and hopelessness. The lyrics suggest that he has deliberately damaged himself, going so far as to say that he's devilled his kidneys and now something is living inside of him. He speaks of wanting to scream at the sky and piss on someone's front porch, indicating a sense of anger and frustration as well.
The chorus of the song is particularly powerful. The singer declares "I'm dead now, check my chest and you'll see. The light has been mined from me, burned for the heat. Oh, I'm dead now, can you hear the relief as life's belligerent symphonies finally cease?" This suggests that the singer has given up on life and feels that he has nothing left to offer. He has lost the light that once shone within him, and he is relieved to be free from the fear and pain that used to plague him.
Despite the heavy subject matter, the song also contains moments of hope. The singer asks if someone will love him despite his flaws, and there is a sense that he is reaching out for human connection. The final lines of the song invite listeners to acknowledge their own mortality and join hands in a defiant celebration of life's dark side.
Line by Line Meaning
I am not myself I am
I am feeling lost and disconnected from who I used to be
A broken boxer stuffed with glass and sand
I am feeling physically and emotionally shattered and filled with pain
This is not how health should feel
This state of despair and agony is not how I should be feeling
Songs sung from the lungs of the elderly
These feelings are like a burden that weighs heavily on me, like the heavy breathing and strain of singing experienced by elderly people
I'm dead now, check my chest and you'll see
I feel like I am already beyond living, so much so that my physical body feels lifeless
The light has been mined from me, burned for the heat
Whatever spark or energy that used to light up my life has been taken away from me and destroyed
Oh I'm dead now can you hear the relief
Despite the sadness and disappointment, there is a sense of relief in accepting that everything is over and done with
As life's belligerent symphonies finally cease
The constant noise and chaos of life has finally stopped, and there is peace in the silence
I put my heart where my mouth is
I made a bold move and shared my emotions vulnerably and honestly
Now I can't thumb it down again
I cannot take back what I have said and done, even if it might be regrettable
I've gone devilled my kidneys
I have tortured and damaged myself through self-destructive behavior, especially involving alcohol or drugs
Now he's living inside of me
The demon or addiction that I have been struggling with has taken control of me and become a part of who I am
So if we can't bring an exorcist
If we cannot find a way to eliminate these demons, then
I'll settle for one of your stiffest drinks
I will try to numb the pain and forget my troubles by getting drunk
And we'll scream hell towards heaven's door
We will release our anger and frustration towards a higher power that has seemingly abandoned us
And I will piss on your front porch
I will act out in defiance and disrespect towards anyone or anything that I perceive as causing my suffering
Oh, we're all dead now, join hands and we'll sing
We are all struggling and in pain, but we can find comfort and connection in our shared experiences
To the glory of hell and the virtue of sin oh
We can celebrate and embrace our rebellious and sinful tendencies, finding beauty and strength in our brokenness
There's something wrong with me
I am acknowledging that there is a deep flaw or issue within me that needs to be addressed
And it reads nothing like poetry
My struggles and pain do not fit into any sort of romantic or beautiful narrative, but rather are raw and ugly
So will you love me spite of these
Despite my flaws and imperfections, will you still accept and care for me?
Ties and inconsistencies
The things that make me imperfect and flawed
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: ANDY MONAGHAN, DAVID WILLIAM LAWRENCE KENNEDY, GRANT DAVID HUTCHISON, RUSSELL GORDON SKENE, SCOTT JOHN HUTCHISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
digger678
RIP--Scott....I am not myself I am
A broken boxer stuffed with glass and sand
This is now how health should feel
Songs sung from the lungs of the elderlyI'm dead now, check my chest and you'll see
The light has been mined from me, burned for the heat
Oh I'm dead now can you hear the relief
As life's belligerent symphonies finally ceaseI put my heart where my mouth is
Now I can't thumb it down again
I've gone devilled my kidneys
Now he's living inside of me
So if we can't bring an exorcist
I'll settle for one of your stiffest drinks
And we'll scream hell towards heaven's door
And I will piss on your front porchI'm dead now, check my chest you'll see
The light has been mined from me, burned for the heat
Oh I'm dead now can you hear the relief
As life's belligerent symphonies finally ceaseOh, we're all dead now, join hands and we'll sing
To the glory of hell and the virtue of sin oh There's something wrong with meThere's something wrong with me
And it reads nothing like poetry
So will you love me spite of these
Ties and inconsistencies
There is something wrong with me
Oh theres something wrong with me,
Oh it reads nothing like poetry
Ah will you love me spite of these
Ties and inconsistencies
There is something wrong with me
Joseph McCafferty
His darkest and most brutal songs were often couched in these upbeat pop hooks. Never knew the guy, but loved his music. I hope it inspires us all to take depression and massive anxiety more seriously as a deadly disease and work to get help to those that need it.
someguy 000000
It's not just those things, but autism as well. Take it from me.
piscian18
I can honestly say Frightened Rabbit is my favorite band of all time. I never get tired of their sound. Every Song and EP from the new album has blown me away and Dead Now is no different.
Gregory Russell aka InfiniteTachyon
I think I can agree with you on this. I was lucky to see them in Vancouver. Second row. Scott was just humble and present and real. A man with an open heart. I don't listen to them everyday, but when I do it always hits hard, good or bad.
KMTJL
I can't thank Scott or the rest of the band enough for their music. When my dad passed, Head Rolls Off really helped through it. Their music has helped me through my own thoughts and is always something I can turn to. I'm so very sorry for the band's loss.
Colin Ramsay
Rest in peace Scott. Your music will always be treasured.
Ethan
I miss him so much man. Im 22 and FR has been my favorite band for quite literally over half my life. I have a dozen tattoos, and every single one is a piece by Scott, an extension of his lyrics, and a brand to remind me of the absolute fragility of life, and how beautiful even the darkest days can be. We all miss you Scott, and we'll see you again someday.
Starlight misty cloud
I miss him too 😭
Simon Weiler
I've always been a huge fan of Frabbit and I truly believe that every single one of thier songs are great at the least. After releasing a couple EPs I can confidently say that they have somewhat of a new sound. It's fantastic. In this song they are a little bit edgier and it makes me love them all the more for experimenting with new sounds. I mean that guitar solo fucking rocked! Its really a pleasure to see such a great band progress in such a great direction. If only they would tour more...
Baby Eagle
His emotional courage brought - and continues to bring - so much comfort to so many. I wish he could have learned to comfort himself. Please, people, get help. Don't leave us. We need the ones that feel to stay.