Silverstein's passion for music was clear early on as he studied for a while at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. As a songwriter, Silverstein kept a low profile but cast a long shadow. He tended to shun publicity and even photographers. Nonetheless, his musical output included many songs which were hits for other artists. Most notably, he wrote the music and lyrics for "A Boy Named Sue" that was performed by Johnny Cash (for which he won a Grammy in 1970); "One's on the Way" (which was a hit for Loretta Lynn), and "The Unicorn Song" which, despite having nothing to do with Ireland nor Irish culture, became the signature piece for The Irish Rovers in 1968 and is popular in pubs all over the world to this day. He wrote the lyrics and music for most of the Dr. Hook songs, including "Cover of the Rolling Stone", "Freakin' at the Freakers' Ball", "Sylvia's Mother", and the cautionary song about VD, "Don't Give a Dose to the One You Love Most". He also wrote many of the songs performed by Bobby Bare, including "Marie Laveau", "Rosalie's Good Eats Cafe", "The Mermaid", "The Winner", and "Tequila Sheila". The song "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan",] recorded in 1979 by Marianne Faithfull and later featured in the films Montenegro and Thelma & Louise, was also by Silverstein.
Enter This Deserted House
Shel Silverstein Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Frogs dwell here and crickets too.
Ain't no ceiling, only blue.
Jays dewll here and sunbeams too.
Floors are flowers - take a few
Gerns grow here and daisies too.
Whoosh, swoosh - too-whit, too-woo
Ferns grow here and hoot owls too.
Ha-ha-ha, hee-hee, hoo-hoooo,
Gnomes dwell here and goblins too.
And my child, I thought you knew
I dwell here... and so do you
Shel Silverstein's "Enter This Deserted House" is a mysterious and almost haunting poem set to music. The opening line of "But please walk softly as you do" sets the stage for the listener to enter a deserted house, which may be abandoned or inhabited by otherworldly beings. The line "Frogs dwell here and crickets too" suggests that nature is taking over the house, with creatures claiming their space. Silverstein ends the stanza with "Ain't no ceiling, only blue," a line that contributes to the dream-like quality of the song, perhaps allowing us to imagine that the ceiling has been opened up to reveal the vastness of the sky.
The next stanza says, "Jays dwell here and sunbeams too," implying that the creatures inhabiting the house are not necessarily frightening or unwelcome guests, but are amongst the natural world that surrounds us. The line "Floors are flowers - take a few" further emphasizes the idea of nature reclaiming the space, with flowers growing up through the floorboards. Silverstein adds a sense of eerie mysticism with "Gnomes dwell here and goblins too," suggesting that there is more here than meets the eye.
The song's final lines, "And my child, I thought you knew/I dwell here...and so do you," offer a sense of familiarity and comfort, reminding us that however wild and unexpected our surroundings may seem, they are still part of our world. The use of the terms "my child" and "you" creates a sense of intimacy, as if the singer is speaking directly to each listener.
Line by Line Meaning
But please walk softly as you do.
Please be careful and gentle as you enter this house.
Frogs dwell here and crickets too.
This house is full of life and nature, including frogs and crickets.
Ain't no ceiling, only blue.
The sky is the ceiling here, as there is no roof to this house.
Jays dewll here and sunbeams too.
Birds and sunlight can be found in this house.
Floors are flowers - take a few
The floors are covered in flowers, you can pick some if you'd like.
Gerns grow here and daisies too.
Other plants that can be found in the house include ferns and daisies.
Whoosh, swoosh - too-whit, too-woo
The sounds you'll hear here include rustling of leaves and hoots of owls.
Ferns grow here and hoot owls too.
The house is home to ferns and owls that hoot.
Ha-ha-ha, hee-hee, hoo-hoooo,
You may hear the laughter of mischievous creatures like gnomes and goblins.
Gnomes dwell here and goblins too.
This house may also be home to playful and sneaky creatures like gnomes and goblins.
And my child, I thought you knew
The singer reminds their child that they already knew they lived in this house.
I dwell here... and so do you
This is the artist's home and their child's home too.
Contributed by London H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.