Mystery Jets have discussed the writing of their track ‘Watching Yourself Slowly Disappear’, and how it serves as a tribute to late Frightened Rabbit singer Scott Hutchison.
The band took part in a Twitter listening party hosted by Tim Burgess for their 2020 album ‘A Billion Heartbeats’ last night (July 2).
- Read more: Scott Hutchison’s brother and bandmate Grant reflects on a year of their Tiny Changes mental health charity
Sharing the track’s title, the band also posted a photo of Hutchison, who passed away in May 2018 after taking his own life.
pic.twitter.com/d2AbY8oR4B
— Mystery Jets (@mysteryjets) July 2, 2020
“Writing this song was our way of sending up a musical flare to Scott, wherever he is,” the band wrote. “Maybe in the sky or maybe in all the hearts of the people his music touched.”
Writing this song was our way of sending up a musical flare to Scott, wherever he is. Maybe in the sky or maybe in all the hearts of the people his music touched x
— Mystery Jets (@mysteryjets) July 2, 2020
Frontman Blaine Harrison added: “I wrote the lyrics to this song the day I heard the news that we’d lost Scott, the singer of the incredible Scottish band [Frightened Rabbit]. Although we’d never met, we’d played on the same festival bills and had shared messages back and forth the previous year.
“Scott was a man who wore his heart on his sleeve, and his music always felt like an extension of him. It’s a rare thing to find in music, but when you do, you hold onto it for dear life.”
He added: “If ‘Dissapear’ sounds indebted to Scott’s song ‘The Woodpile’ it’s because it is. I must have listened to it over a hundred times that day, trying to feel his presence and contain my sadness.”
I wrote the lyrics to this song the day I heard the news that we’d lost Scott, the singer of the incredible Scottish band @FRabbits . Although we’d never met, we’d played on the same festival bills and had shared messages back and forth the previous year
— Blaine (@blaineharrison) July 2, 2020
If 'Dissapear' sounds indebted to Scott's song 'The Woodpile' it's because it is. I must have listened to it over a hundred times that day, trying to feel his presence and contain my sadness.
— Blaine (@blaineharrison) July 2, 2020
Harrison also then shared the lyrics to ‘Watching Yourself Slowly Disappear’, which you can see below.
Xx pic.twitter.com/WZDALF5WAw
— Blaine (@blaineharrison) July 2, 2020
Hutchison’s brother and bandmate Grant has set up the Tiny Changes charity in the wake of the frontman’s death, dedicated to funding and creating inventive ideas of how to improve mental health services for young people.
Last month, Tiny Changes held a weekend of online gigs to raise money for an emergency COVID-19 relief fund, featuring The Charlatans‘ Tim Burgess, Bill Ryder-Jones, Frank Turner, The Staves, Matt Maltese and more.
