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 Last Chariot
Scout Niblett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya.
Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya.
Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya.
I don't know how, where or when,
There's no sun []
So don't be scared, it's against your will.
Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya.
Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya.
Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya.
Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya.
One day you'll finally see my face.
I'll hold you in my arms as we leave this place.
So keep on keeping on out there.
Just be ready and beware.
Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya.
Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya.
Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya.
Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya.
At first glance, the lyrics to Scout Niblett's song "Your Last Chariot" seem somewhat ominous and perhaps even threatening. The repetition of the phrase "Comin' to get ya" highlights this sense of danger and urgency, as if someone or something is relentlessly pursuing the listener. However, upon closer inspection, there is a more complex message at play.
The second stanza in particular reveals that the singer does not know "how, where or when" this event is going to occur, and there is "no sun" - suggesting perhaps a lack of clarity or visibility. The line "So don't be scared, it's against your will" is somewhat puzzling, as it seems to suggest that the listener may initially resist this event but ultimately will learn to "like it." This could be interpreted in a number of ways - perhaps the singer is referring to death or some other inevitable event that we can't control, and the listener will ultimately have to come to terms with it.
The final stanza is perhaps the most intriguing. The imagery of the singer holding the listener in their arms as they "leave this place" suggests a journey or transition of some sort. The last line, "Just be ready and beware," is a warning that evokes a sense of danger or uncertainty - but it also implies that the listener has agency in this process, and can be "ready" when the time comes.
Overall, "Your Last Chariot" is a song that poses more questions than answers, and invites the listener to reflect on the ways in which we confront the unknown and the inexorable forces of life and death.
Line by Line Meaning
Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya. Comin' to get ya.
The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the singer's intention to come and get the listener
I don't know how, where or when,
There's no sun []
The singer is unsure of the details surrounding when and where she will come for the listener, and suggests that things are bleak, as there is 'no sun'
So don't be scared, it's against your will.
Learn to like it and you will.
The singer urges the listener not to be scared, implying that resistance is futile, and suggests that the listener may find enjoyment in their impending fate
One day you'll finally see my face.
I'll hold you in my arms as we leave this place.
The singer suggests that the listener will eventually come face to face with her and will be taken away to a different place, likely against their will
So keep on keeping on out there.
Just be ready and beware.
The singer warns the listener to be prepared, as she will come for them at some point, perhaps when they least expect it
Contributed by Savannah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
FreeЯadikal
Awesome song!
Cécile Aurore
This song will always amaze me