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
I'm Alive
Garland Jeffreys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I met the angel and the devil′s breath
I can tell you I was not alone
It was me and myself, and the bright lights on
Yes, yes, yes it ain't no jive
Grateful I′m here and still alive
I stumbled all along my path
But I took down notes and I photographed
I'm Alive, I'm Alive, I′m Alive
I continue to tell you my story
Chapter and verse I did reverse the hearse
Now I′m standing here basking in the glory
Life can be a curse of pride and purgatory
But I didn't do no crime
Shouldn′t have to do no time
Could be standing here between the judge and jury
Hanging from a loose noose like a serpentine
I'm Alive, I′m Alive, I'm Alive, not dead
Soldiers to the left
Soldiers to the right
Ain′t no reason
Is this treason or just the season
Not dead I'm Alive, I'm Alive,
I′m Alive, not dead, I′m Alive, I'm Alive
I′m going for the sublime this time
Between the Divine and the humankind
I'm Alive, I′m Alive, I'm Alive, I′m Alive
Soldiers to the left,
Soldiers to the right
Ain't no reason
Is this treason or hunting season
I'm Alive, I′m Alive, I′m Alive, I'm Alive
The opening line of Garland Jeffreys's "I'm Alive" speaks of a journey to the "valley of death." This phrase of "valley of death" is a metaphorical reference to a catastrophic situation in life. Death in this context represents the moment of experiencing something hard or insurmountable, and the valley refers to the deep and dark emotions that usually follow in this scenario. The following line, "I met the angel and the devil's breath," seems to be a reference to a near-death experience. This experience possibly led Jeffreys to appreciate life more fully.
In the next verse, Jeffreys claims to have had a challenging past, but he is still alive and grateful to be alive. He uses terms like "bright lights" and "jive" to denote joy and jubilation for still being alive. The lines "I stumbled all along my path/But I took down notes and I photographed" suggest memory and record-keeping, which often follow traumatic events. Memories of the past can serve as a reminder of where one has been and what they overcame.
The chorus proclaims Jefferys' triumph over death and acknowledges the perilous seasons of life. The verse, "Soldiers to the left/Soldiers to the right" seems like a reference to the intensity of life and the difficult choices one must make. The final verse highlights the pursuit of the divine- "going for the sublime" and ends with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the message of life over death.
Line by Line Meaning
Strolled on down to the valley of death
I took a walk towards a dangerous place
I met the angel and the devil's breath
I encountered both good and evil
I can tell you I was not alone
I had my own company with me
It was me and myself, and the bright lights on
I only had myself and the city lights for company
Yes, yes, yes it ain't no jive
It's the truth, no exaggeration
Grateful I'm here and still alive
I'm glad to be alive
I stumbled all along my path
I made mistakes on my journey
But I took down notes and I photographed
I learned from my mistakes and documented them
I'm Alive, I'm Alive, I'm Alive
I want to emphasize that I'm still alive
I continue to tell you my story
I'm sharing my experiences with you
Chapter and verse I did reverse the hearse
I changed my life for the better
Now I'm standing here basking in the glory
I'm enjoying my current success
Life can be a curse of pride and purgatory
Life can be difficult and full of obstacles
But I didn't do no crime
I didn't commit any wrongdoing
Shouldn't have to do no time
I shouldn't have to face any punishment
Could be standing here between the judge and jury
I could be facing a trial
Hanging from a loose noose like a serpentine
I could be in serious trouble
Soldiers to the left
There are people on my left
Soldiers to the right
There are also people on my right
Ain't no reason
There's no explanation
Is this treason or just the season
Is this betrayal or just a temporary change
Not dead I'm Alive, I'm Alive
I want to make it clear that I'm still alive
I'm Alive, not dead, I'm Alive, I'm Alive
I'm emphasizing that I'm alive and not dead
I'm going for the sublime this time
I'm aiming for something great
Between the Divine and the humankind
I'm striving for something that bridges the gap between heaven and earth
Writer(s): Jeffreys Garland
Contributed by Juliana W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.