Niblett grew up in Nottingham, England and chose her stage name in honour of Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, the protagonist in Harper Lee's 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird. She studied music and performance art at college, and also expresses an interest in astrology—explaining the title of her 2005 LP Kidnapped by Neptune, she says, "Neptune is this planet that everyone has in their chart. But for me, where Neptune is right now and has been for the past two years has been affecting my chart in a huge way. Neptune is kind of the musicians’ planet, it rules music."
Niblett has released three LPs, through the Secretly Canadian record company in North America and through Too Pure in the United Kingdom. Her first release was a split 7" single with Songs: Ohia in 2001. Shortly after this she released her first LP Sweet Heart Fever, recorded in Glasgow with drummer Kristian Goddard. Her follow-up release was a one-sided 10" EP, I Conjure Series, recorded live, where Niblett plays all the instruments herself. For the next two albums—2003's I Am and 2005's Kidnapped by Neptune—Niblett enlisted the help of producer Steve Albini. She is also featured in Peoria Lunch Box Blues on Magnolia Electric Co. (2003). 2007 saw the release of Niblett's fourth long player This Fool Can Die Now again featuring a rhythm section of Kristian Goddard & Chris Saligoe as well as Bonnie "Prince" Billy as guest vocalist on four of the albums duets. Her 5th LP The Calcination of Scout Niblett was released in 2010 through the Drag City label.
Niblett cites among her influences a number of grunge period bands, including Mudhoney, Sonic Youth and Nirvana, and in particular the guitar of Kurt Cobain. Her drumming technique, however, is inspired, she says, by a man who played at an open-mic night in Nottingham and would accompany himself on the drums while playing Beatles covers. This drumming technique has been a particularly distinctive feature of Niblett's records with Steve Albini, whose method is to place the drums centrally in the mix. A good example of Niblett's minimalist approach to songwriting is "Your Beat Kicks Back Like Death", included on I Am and as the B-side to "I'll Be a Prince". It consists solely of a drumbeat with a cheerfully delivered repeating lyric, "We're all gonna die!", eventually concluding, "We don't know when, We don't know how." Niblett names the song as a favourite. Also of note is her downbeat cover of the 1978 reggae hit Uptown Top Ranking, which Niblett released as a single after it became popular at live performances.
Comfort You
Scout Niblett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanna comfort you
I wanna comfort you
Just let your tears run wild
Like when you were a child
I'll do what I can do
I wanna comfort you
You put the weight on me
You put the weight on me
When it gets too much for me
When it gets too much, much too much for me
I'll do the same thing that you do
And I'll put the weight on you
Huh
I'll put the weight on you
I'll put the weight on you
And I'll do the same thing that you do
I'll put the weight on you
I wanna comfort you
I wanna comfort you
And I wanna comfort you
Just let your tears run wild
Like when you were a child
I'll do what I can do
I just wanna comfort you
The lyrics of Scout Niblett's song "Comfort You" are a testament to the power of empathy and support in times of crisis. The singer repeats the phrase "I wanna comfort you" throughout the song, conveying a heartfelt desire to ease the pain and sadness of a loved one. The repeated line "just let your tears run wild like when you were a child" speaks to the importance of allowing oneself to feel and express emotions without shame or inhibition, and reminds the listener of the vulnerability and innocence of childhood.
The song's chorus also contains the line "You put the weight on me," which suggests that the person the singer is addressing has been struggling with a heavy burden or emotional turmoil. However, rather than becoming overwhelmed or resentful, the singer offers support and mutual vulnerability, saying "when it gets too much for me...I'll do the same thing that you do, and I'll put the weight on you." This line is a powerful assertion of the importance of mutual aid and solidarity in difficult times.
As a whole, "Comfort You" is a moving and comforting reminder that we all need support and understanding when we are going through challenging experiences. The song speaks to the power of empathy and solidarity, and encourages listeners to be there for each other in times of need.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna comfort you
The singer wants to provide emotional support to the listener
Just let your tears run wild
The singer encourages the listener to let out their emotions without any reservation or suppression
Like when you were a child
The singer wants the listener to experience the same level of emotional vulnerability they had as a child
I'll do what I can do
The singer promises to do whatever is in their power to provide comfort
You put the weight on me
The listener relies on the singer for emotional support
When it gets too much for me
The singer acknowledges their own limitations in providing comfort
I'll do the same thing that you do
The singer will lean on the listener for support when the burden becomes too much for them to handle alone
And I'll put the weight on you
The singer will rely on the listener for emotional support when they need it
I wanna comfort you
The singer reiterates their desire to provide emotional support to the listener
And I wanna comfort you
The singer repeats their desire to provide emotional support to the listener
Contributed by Aria M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
jt20042
One of my favorite Scout songs!
Hrizzzz
This is a Van Morrison cover for those that don't know.
Peter
Lets give bonnie prince billy a mention shall we
brandon slater
why aren't you popular???