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.
Yummy
Scout Niblett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and you feel me
even from afar
what ever this is
let it take you
and let it take me, yea
our heart is here
as ripe as mine
is it truly
is it truly
was fate playing tricks on me?
oh surrender
just surrender
to its beauty
do I dare
do I dare
where you're sleeping
oh forgive me
i think I'll eat you
your cheek's in my tummy
and i won't stop
til you're all gone
i'll have your bones beside of me
and this way
you can never
take that body away from me
and I'll dance
with them bones
anytime i want you
and we'll dance
back forever
has started here
cuz you strip me
and you feel me
even from afar, yea
and a....
i seen a....
i seen it in your eye
The lyrics to Scout Niblett’s song “Yummy” are somewhat dark and mysterious in nature, with a sense of unease underlying the melody. The song begins with the lines “and you strip me, and you feel me, even from afar”. This seems to suggest a physical and emotional stripping of the singer, leaving them vulnerable and exposed. The next lines, “whatever this is, let it take you, and let it take me” suggests a surrender to fate or destiny, which may be causing confusion or uncertainty. The repetition of “our heart is here, as ripe as mine” suggests a connection between the singer and the subject of the song, but it is not clear if this connection is romantic or platonic. The lines “is it truly, was fate playing tricks on me” suggest a sense of doubt or mistrust, as if the singer is unsure of the authenticity of this connection.
The tone of the song becomes more disturbing with the next lines: “oh forgive me, I think I’ll eat you, your cheek’s in my tummy”. This line can be interpreted literally or metaphorically, but either way it suggests a violent and destructive desire. The rest of the song troubles with the singer’s desire to possess and hold onto the subject, even in death: “and I won’t stop till you’re all gone, I’ll have your bones beside of me, and this way you can never take that body away from me, and I’ll dance with them bones anytime I want you, and we’ll dance back forever, has started here”.
Overall, the song is open to interpretation, but the lyrics suggest themes of desire, possession, vulnerability, and the struggle between fate and free will. The haunting melody of the song adds to its mysterious and somewhat ominous feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
and you strip me
You expose me and leave me vulnerable.
and you feel me
You connect with me emotionally, despite the distance.
even from afar
Despite the physical distance between us, our emotional connection is strong.
what ever this is
Our relationship is undefined and unclear.
let it take you
Allow the relationship to progress naturally.
and let it take me, yea
Allow yourself to be vulnerable to the relationship.
our heart is here
Our emotions and feelings are present and strong.
our heart is here
Our emotions and feelings are present and strong.
as ripe as mine
Our emotions and feelings are equally strong and mature.
is it truly
Is this really happening?
is it truly
Is this really happening?
was fate playing tricks on me?
Is this fate or just coincidence?
oh surrender
Let go of control and allow yourself to be vulnerable.
just surrender
Let go of control and allow yourself to be vulnerable.
to its beauty
To the beauty of the relationship.
do I dare
Am I brave enough to take a risk?
do I dare
Am I brave enough to take a risk?
where you're sleeping
In your vulnerable moments, when you're not guarding yourself.
oh forgive me
I apologize in advance for what I may do.
i think I'll eat you
I want to devour and consume you, metaphorically.
your cheek's in my tummy
The essence of you is consuming me, emotionally.
and i won't stop
I won't be satisfied until I've fully consumed and experienced you emotionally.
til you're all gone
Until every part of you has been consumed and experienced.
i'll have your bones beside of me
I'll hold onto the essence of you, even after you're gone.
and this way
This is how I'll hold onto the essence of you.
you can never
You will never be fully gone from me.
take that body away from me
Even after you're gone, I'll still hold onto the essence of you.
and I'll dance
I'll celebrate and revel in the essence of you.
with them bones
With the essence of you that remains, even after you're gone.
anytime i want you
I'll be able to call upon the essence of you whenever I need it.
and we'll dance
We'll celebrate our emotional connection, even after you're gone.
back forever
Our emotional connection will always exist in some form.
has started here
Our emotional connection began here, but will continue in some form.
cuz you strip me
You leave me vulnerable and exposed.
and you feel me
You connect with me emotionally, despite the distance.
even from afar, yea
Despite the physical distance between us, our emotional connection is strong and present.
and a....
An unknown or unsaid thought or feeling is being expressed.
i seen a....
I've noticed a certain something or feeling.
i seen it in your eye
I've seen and recognized the same feeling in you.
Contributed by Hunter Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@TheOpiumDistrict
Strong song, great artist.
@festeunaele
BRUTAL VOICE !!!