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.
Fireflies
Scout Niblett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You play your instrument so well
And I got so good at loving you boy
Oh oh oh oh
You're so sweet on the eye
You play your instrument so well
And you're gonna charm the world
Fire flies, come on
Let me see you have sex
The first verse of Scout Niblett's song Fire Flies is an admiration of the person she loves. She describes how they are visually appealing and how they play their musical instrument really well. The repetition of "You're so sweet on the eye, You play your instrument so well" emphasizes her deep admiration for her lover's qualities. The second line, "And I got so good at loving you boy", suggests that she has become proficient at loving this person, perhaps because of the time they have spent together. There is a sense of intimacy and familiarity between the two that is reflected in her appreciation of his talents. The line "Oh oh oh oh" is an expression of her happiness and contentment with being in love.
In the chorus, Scout Niblett switches to the perspective of the fireflies. She calls out to them, asking them to show her how they have sex. This line is a metaphor for the couple's love, as the fireflies represent the passion and intensity of their relationship. By asking the fireflies to reveal their intimate acts, Scout Niblett is inviting us to witness the intensity of their love.
Overall, "Fire Flies" is a song about love, admiration, and intimacy. It shows how someone can deeply appreciate the qualities of the person they love and how that love can be reflected in everything around them, even in the natural world.
Line by Line Meaning
You're so sweet on the eye
Your appearance is very appealing
You play your instrument so well
Your musical talent is impressive
And I got so good at loving you boy
I have become skilled at expressing my love for you
Oh oh oh oh
Repetitive sound effect conveying strong emotions
And you're gonna charm the world
You have the ability to attract and captivate people globally
It's waiting for you
The world is anticipating your arrival and talents
Fire flies, come on
Insects that emit light, please appear
Let me see you have sex
I want to witness the natural act of procreation
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: EMMA 'SCOUT' NIBLETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind