The Works, Jonatha Brooke's seventh solo release, is a full-length album primarily of previously unheard lyrics by Woody Guthrie, set to original music written and performed by Brooke.[1]
Brooke was invited by Guthrie's daughter Nora to sift through the private archives and hunt through Guthrie's unreleased material for possible adaptations.[2] Brooke said she was "smitten" with Guthrie's work and going through it was like "going to church."[3] She liked his poetic love songs like "My Sweet and Bitter Bowl" and spiritual deeper tunes like "My Battle"[3] and loved Guthrie's "full spectrum of craziness" as she described his writings. The album also includes two songs fully written by Brooke.