He spent some time in Italy studying art before coming back to Manhattan to further his education at New York's Institute of Fine Arts while working with several New York bands. In 1969 he formed a group called Grinder's Switch, and they released just one album - Garland Jeffreys & Grinder's Switch. Members of Grinder's Switch played on debut solo album of another co-founder of The Velvet Underground, John Cale - Vintage Violence (1970). Garland even wrote one song for this album (Fairweather Friend) and did back-up vocals for it. In 1973 Jeffreys released his own debut album entitled simply 'Garland Jeffreys. During the mid-70s he was touring with reggae artists like Jimmy Cliff and Toots & the Maytals and in 1977 he released his critically acclaimed Ghost Writer. In 1980 Jeffreys made a cover of ? & the Mysterians' 96 Tears. Then, after a long silence he released Don't Call Me Buckwheat (1992). Every song in this album has strong antiracial lyrics ('Welcome to the World', 'Hail Hail Rock'n'Roll', 'I Was Afraid of Malcolm' etc.). He followed with Wildlife Dictionary in 1997. In 2003 Garland covered Skip James' Washington D.C. Hospital Center Blues for the film by Wim Wenders from the project Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: The Soul of a Man. Another compilation of greatest hits (with three new songs) - I'm Alive was released in 2006 in Europe only.
In 2011 Jeffreys roared back with self-released The King of In Between. It racked up numerous best of the year accolades in the US and Jeffreys began touring heavily. Recently it was #25 in best of the year in Rolling Stone Germany.
1969 - Garland Jeffreys & Grinder's Switch
1973 - Garland Jeffreys
1977 - Ghost Writer
1978 - One-Eyed Jack
1979 - American Boy & Girl
1980 - Escape Artist
1982 - Rock & Roll Adult
1983 - Guts for Love
1992 - Don't Call Me Buckwheat
1992 - Matador & More...
1997 - Wildlife Dictionary
2006 - I'm Alive
2011 - The King of In Between
2013 - Truth Serum
2017 - 14 Steps to Harlem
Haunted House
Garland Jeffreys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nobody home 'cept for me and the mouse
Baby, shake, shake now
Baby, shake
Lonely little planet boy
Lookin' for love, lookin' for joy
Baby, shake, shake now
UFO go past my window pane
No one to write, no one to call
No one to explain my troubles
Livin' in a lonely world
Isolation is in the world
Baby, shake, shake now
Baby, shake
Lonely little planet girl
Desolation says you sink or you swim
Baby, shake, shake now
Baby, shake
Somethin' flew across my window sill
Nobody home in the house 'cept me
But I'm ready for danger, I said I'm ready for danger
I'm ready for danger, I'm ready for the kill
Baby, shake, shake, baby, shake
The song "Haunted House" by Garland Jeffreys is a hauntingly beautiful tune that deals with feelings of isolation and loneliness. The lyrics paint a picture of a world where the only company is a mouse, and even UFOs make an appearance in the window pane. The first verse begins with Jeffreys admitting to living in a haunted house where he is the only inhabitant, aside from a mouse, leading to a sense of isolation. In the second verse, he mentions a "lonely little planet boy" who is searching for love and joy, but is left with only the option to "shake, shake now". The UFO mentioned in the lyrics represents the unknown and mysterious aspects of life that Jeffreys cannot explain.
The chorus highlights this theme of isolation and loneliness even further, with a sense of desperation creeping into the lyrics. Jeffreys expresses a desire for human connection and companionship, but it seems as though he is stranded on a "lonely little planet". The repetition of "baby, shake" in the chorus seems to be an attempt to shake off the loneliness, to feel alive, and to connect with others.
Overall, "Haunted House" is a poignant song that captures the essence of feeling isolated and alone in the world, while also reminding us that we can choose to be ready for danger and open to the possibility of human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Livin' in a haunted house
I'm living in a place that's full of negative energy and memories
Nobody home 'cept for me and the mouse
I'm all alone in this place, except for a little mouse that keeps me company
Baby, shake, shake now
I need to do something to shake off this feeling of loneliness and fear
Baby, shake
I'm urging myself to physically shake my body in order to release the negative feelings
Lonely little planet boy
I feel like an isolated individual, looking for happiness and love
Lookin' for love, lookin' for joy
I'm trying to find something positive in my life that can help me get through the loneliness
UFO go past my window pane
A strange concept or thought suddenly enters my head and I am left with no one to discuss it with
No one to write, no one to call
I don't have anyone to talk to or share my feelings with
No one to explain my troubles
I can't find anyone to listen to my perspective and understand my problems
Livin' in a lonely world
I feel like I'm existing in a world that is indifferent to my emotions
Isolation is in the world
There seems to be a universal feeling of isolation and distance among people
Lonely little planet girl
I imagine a woman who feels the same way as me, looking for companionship
Desolation says you sink or you swim
The feeling of emptiness and loneliness can either make you sink into sadness or push you to cope with it
Somethin' flew across my window sill
I experience sudden, unexplainable moments of fear and anxiety
Nobody home in the house 'cept me
I face these fears all alone, without anyone to support me
But I'm ready for danger, I said I'm ready for danger
Despite the fear and loneliness, I am determined to face any danger that comes my way
I'm ready for danger, I'm ready for the kill
I am not afraid to fight for what I want, even if it means taking down my own fears and anxieties
Baby, shake, shake, baby, shake
I continue to urge myself to physically shake my body to release the negative emotions and move forward
Contributed by Ellie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.