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.
Your Beat Kicks Back Like Death
Scout Niblett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
we're all gonna die
we're all gonna die
we're all gonna die
we don't know when
we don't know how
we're all gonna die
and your beat kicks back like death
In Scout Niblett's song "Your Beat Kicks Back Like Death," the lyrics "we're all gonna die" are repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the inevitability of death. The repetition also serves to create a sense of urgency and immediacy, as if the singer is trying to remind us all to live in the moment and appreciate the time we have. The lines "we don't know when, we don't know how" further underscores the uncertainty of life and death, which can come at any moment and in any form.
The final line of the song, "and your beat kicks back like death," is particularly interesting. It's unclear exactly what the singer is referring to here, but it could be interpreted as a reference to the beat of a heart. The fact that it "kicks back like death" suggests that there's a darker side to life, and that the very thing that keeps us alive (our heartbeat) can also be a reminder of our mortality.
Overall, "Your Beat Kicks Back Like Death" is a powerful meditation on the impermanence of life and the importance of living fully in the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
we're all gonna die
The inevitability of death is something that we cannot escape.
we're all gonna die
Regardless of who we are and what we do, death is certain.
we're all gonna die
No one can cheat death, it comes for everybody.
we're all gonna die
Death is a fact of life that we must all accept.
we don't know when
The timing of death is unpredictable and unknown to us.
we don't know how
The nature of death is a mystery that we cannot comprehend.
we're all gonna die
Once again, the inevitability of death is emphasized.
we're all gonna die
No matter what we do, death is still going to come.
and your beat kicks back like death
The music's rhythm feels ominous, like the pounding of one's own heart when considering the reality of death.
Contributed by Charlie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.