Isobel Campbell (born April 27, 1976) is a Scottish singer, cellist and com… Read Full Bio ↴Isobel Campbell (born April 27, 1976) is a Scottish singer, cellist and composer in the indie and folk genres. As with her former band Belle and Sebastian, she is often labelled as twee pop. Campbell was a member of Belle and Sebastian from their formation in Glasgow in 1996 until 2002, when she departed the band for personal reasons. Isobel played cello with Belle and Sebastian and sang backing vocals. She also took lead vocals on a few songs from the band, and co-wrote their top-20 U.K. single Legal Man.

In 2006 Isobel released a collaborative LP (Ballad of the Broken Seas) with former Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age singer Mark Lanegan, a mixture of folk and more rock-orientated music. October 2006 also saw the release of her latest album, Milkwhite Sheets, a more acoustic folk album, consisting of a mixture of traditional songs alonside Isobel's own compositions.

Isobel's band The Gentle Waves released its first album on Jeepster Records, titled The Green Fields of Foreverland, in 1999. The second Gentle Waves record, Swansong For You came out one year later. In 2002, she collaborated with Scottish jazz musician Bill Wells on a collection of Billie Holliday songs, released by Creeping Bent.

In 2003 Campbell released Amorino, the first solo album under her own name, to very good reviews. Bill Wells was featured here again, along with other jazz musicians.

Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan form a unique combination of gruff vocals and dulcet voices. They have released three albums so far: Ballad of the Broken Seas, which received a nomination in the 2006 Mercury Awards, Sunday at Devil Dirt, which was released in May 2008. The album received US release in Fall 2008. And finally their third album Hawk was released in August 2010.

Back Burner
Isobel Campbell Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Back Burner
Back Burner
Back Burner

Put it on a back burn momma
I ain't gonna let you down
Put it on a back burn momma
Promise you I'll stick around

Everybody up and sliding
Bump and grinding
I ain't gonna let you down
Promise you I'll stick around

Put it on a back burn momma
I ain't gonna let you down
Put it on a back burn momma
Promise you I'll stick around

Ain't gonna be back sliding
Up and hiding
I ain't gonna let you down
Promise you I'll stick around

Everybody up and sliding
Bump and grinding

I ain't gonna let you down
Promise you I'll stick around

Overall Meaning

In Isobel Campbell's song "Back Burner," the lyrics are repetitive, with only a few phrases being repeated over and over. However, the repetition should not be ignored, as it ultimately adds to the meaning of the song. Through "Back Burner," Campbell seems to be conveying the message that she is committed to a relationship with someone and will not let them down. She reassures her partner through the lyrics, promising to stick around and not fall back into old habits, which are symbolized by "back sliding" and "hiding." Additionally, the repeated phrase "back burner" could be interpreted as her pushing aside everything else in her life to focus solely on her relationship, indicating a sacrifice of sorts.

The lack of complexity in the lyrics is made up for with the intricate instrumental accompaniments. Throughout the song, multiple genres are blended together, resulting in a unique sound that adds to the overall meaning of the song. The combination of the banjo, bluesy guitar riffs, and the electronic instrumentals give the song a haunting and depressing feel, reflecting the intensity of Campbell's promise to her partner.

Line by Line Meaning

Back Burner
The title of the song

Back Burner
Repeating the title

Put it on a back burn momma
Delay it, don't worry about it right now

I ain't gonna let you down
I won't disappoint you

Put it on a back burn momma
Repeat of the first line

Promise you I'll stick around
I'll be there for you

Everybody up and sliding
Everyone is having a good time

Bump and grinding
Dancing provocatively

I ain't gonna let you down
Repeat of line 2

Promise you I'll stick around
Repeat of line 7

Ain't gonna be back sliding
Not going to revert to old habits