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.
Let Thine Heart Be Warmed
Scout Niblett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's louder than the thunder that I use as my drum.
It travels on the wind on this dark and seething night,
And finds me singing back with all of my might, yeah!
Yeah!
Fear not, my precious love, of this seal upon our souls
Drink from its cup and let yourself be crowned
Let us be free to love on winds of sound, yeah!
Yeah!
Let thine heart be warmed by light that I colour
So to walk around wherever you may be
Wearing my love as a cloak majestically
This is my will so mote it be
Yeah! Yeah!
'Fear not, my fierce love', I hear you call to me.
It's louder than the thunder that I use as my drum.
It travels on the wind on this dark and seething night,
And finds me singing back with all of my might...
The song Let Thine Heart Be Warmed by Scout Niblett is a powerful expression of love and devotion. Through the lyrics, we hear a call to embrace love with open arms, without fear or hesitation. The phrase "fear not, my fierce love" repeats throughout the song, reminding the listener that love is strong enough to conquer any darkness or doubt.
The singer uses the imagery of thunder and wind to emphasize the strength of this love. The thunder becomes their drum, a powerful force moving them forward. The wind carries the call of love on a dark and seething night, a tumultuous time when love is needed most. Yet through it all, the singer responds with their own voice, singing back with all of their might.
The final verse speaks of a seal upon their souls, lifting them up and allowing them to rise in shining gold. There is a sense of freedom in this love, as the singer encourages their beloved to drink from its cup and be crowned. This love is all-encompassing, and the singer wishes for it to warm their heart with light and for them to wear it as a majestic cloak.
Overall, the song is a message of hope and love. It reminds us that even in the darkest of times, love can prevail and light the way forward.
Line by Line Meaning
'Fear not, my fierce love', I hear you call to me.
My love, do not be afraid, I am here for you and will protect you at all costs.
It's louder than the thunder that I use as my drum.
My love is so strong that it is as loud and powerful as thunder.
It travels on the wind on this dark and seething night,
My love is carried by the wind on this dark and turbulent night.
And finds me singing back with all of my might, yeah!
And I will sing back to you with all my strength and passion.
Fear not, my precious love, of this seal upon our souls
Do not be afraid of the bond we share, for it is a beautiful, unbreakable connection.
It's here to lift us up, so we rise in shining gold
Our bond is meant to elevate us and bring us towards greatness, like gold that shines.
Drink from its cup and let yourself be crowned
Embrace our bond and let it guide you towards greatness, letting yourself be crowned with success.
Let us be free to love on winds of sound, yeah!
Let us revel in our love and be free to express it, like the sound carried by the wind.
Let thine heart be warmed by light that I colour
Let your heart be warmed by the love and light that I fill it with.
So to walk around wherever you may be
So that you may walk through life with the warmth and light of my love wherever you go.
Wearing my love as a cloak majestically
Carrying my love with you like a majestic cloak, draped over your shoulders to protect and inspire you.
This is my will so mote it be
This is my wish for you, and I hope it becomes your reality.
'Fear not, my fierce love', I hear you call to me.
Once again, do not be afraid,my love, for I am here to protect and uplift you.
It's louder than the thunder that I use as my drum.
My love is as strong as thunder and it will always be heard.
It travels on the wind on this dark and seething night,
My love will find you even in the darkest and most turbulent of nights, carried by the wind.
And finds me singing back with all of my might...
And I will continue to sing back to you with all my strength and passion, never giving up on our love.
Contributed by Joseph F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.