The Work Cover Image

The Work: Vocal Book of Words

$20.99 USD
$20.99 USD
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The Work Cover Image
The Work: Vocal Book of Words

The Work: Vocal Book of Words

The Lyrics of Scott Hutchison

By Frightened Rabbit Author, Scott Hutchinson

Item: 12-0571542417
$20.99
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Description
The Work is a book of lyrics and illustrations by the late Scott Hutchison, lyricist, vocalist and songwriter of Frightened Rabbit. This paperback follows the sold-out limited hardback edition and presents the band's complete lyrics (including B-sides and rarities) with handwritten excerpts by Scott, alongside his illustrations. The book is meant both as a celebration of and tribute to Scott's unbridled creativity. It aims to fulfill his wishes by being the book that he wanted to create and had spoken of creating before his death.

Readers are advised that The Work includes content about topics that some may find upsetting, including references to suicide.


"Seeing this book come to life has been something of a bittersweet experience. Reading the lyrics without music really brings home the stark reality of what Scott was going through and at the same time highlights the talent of someone who I consider to be one of the best songwriters in the world. This would've been a different release had Scott been involved but we all felt it was important that his lyrics be celebrated and given the spotlight they deserve. As Scott has said, these words were always meant to be accompanied by music, but the impact of digesting them without is no less great. Pick up this book of words, hold it, share it and immerse yourself in the world Scott created by opening not only his heart but his whole soul to the world." Grant Hutchison (Scott's brother and drummer of Frightened Rabbit)



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Additional Details
Publisher: Faber Music
ISBN10: 0-571-54241-7
ISBN13: 978-0-571-54241-3
UPC: 9780571542413
SKU: 12-0571542417

More about this title

About the Author: Scott Hutchinson

Scott Hutchison was the lyricist, vocalist, and primary songwriter of Frightened Rabbit, a Scottish indie rock band that built a devoted following through raw emotional honesty and intricate songcraft. Over two decades, Hutchison developed a distinctive voice in alternative music, crafting lyrics that moved between fragile introspection and explosive catharsis, often exploring themes of mental health, identity, and human connection with unflinching directness.

Beyond his work as a musician, Hutchison was a visual artist whose illustrations accompanied his lyrics, making him a multidisciplinary creator who understood how words and images could deepen each other's impact. His commitment to artistic integrity and his willingness to document struggle without sentimentality earned him recognition as one of contemporary rock's most significant songwriters.

Why we love this

This collection offers singers and lyricists a masterclass in narrative construction and emotional specificity. Hutchison's lyrics resist easy interpretation, rewarding close reading and repeated engagement; pairing them with his handwritten excerpts and illustrations creates a text that resonates across disciplines, making it valuable for choir directors exploring song repertoire with literary depth and for any music educator seeking materials that model how songwriting and visual art can work in concert.

What to expect

Intimate and unflinching. These lyrics strip away artifice and invite you into unguarded moments of doubt, longing, and search for meaning. Reading them as a collection, without music as a buffer, reveals the emotional architecture Scott built throughout his career: a world both tender and unsparing.

Who it's for

Singers and vocal students seeking sophisticated, contemporary lyrical material with literary merit; directors building choral programs that engage with rock songwriting and modern poetry; songwriting students and lyricists studying how vulnerability and specificity create resonance.

How to get the most out of it

  • Study the handwritten annotations and illustrations alongside the lyrics to understand Scott's own emphasis and intent; these visual cues often point to phrases he wanted singers to foreground.
  • When setting these lyrics to music, pay attention to line breaks and stanza structure. Scott's poetic phrasing often challenges conventional song phrasing; honor that tension rather than forcing the words into predictable patterns.
  • Read the lyrics aloud before singing them. The rhythm and weight of his language is architectural; hearing it spoken reveals how the words move even without melody.

How to use it

Use this as a foundation for students arranging or composing new settings of existing Frightened Rabbit songs, or as a source text for devising projects that combine live vocals with visual art. For older students and serious singers, the complete lyrics and raw presentation offer a rare opportunity to study a major contemporary songwriter's complete body of work in one place.

Skills your students will build

  • Analyzing how line breaks and stanza structure affect phrasing and breath control
  • Understanding narrative voice and emotional arc in song lyrics
  • Connecting visual imagery to lyrical meaning
  • Reading contemporary poetry and understanding contemporary songwriting as a literary form

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