These are alternate lyrics from a live acoustic version Michelle Shocked played on the Dutch radio show "2 Meter Sessies" (a recording of which is available on 2 of their compilation CDs):
I wrote this song in New York City
But it's about a time I spent in Dallas
Reading telegrams from overseas
I was working in a room with about 40 women
And one male supervisor
Well I made friends with this one woman
She was bringing up her young son by herself
So sometimes after work we'd take him to her mother's
So that we could go out dancing
I took time out to write to my old friend
Walked across that burning bridge
Mailed my letter off to Dallas
But the reply came from Anchorage, Alaska
She said
"Hey girl, it's about time you wrote
It's been over two years my old friend
Take me back to the days of the foreign telegrams
And the all-night rock and rollin'... hey Shell
We was wild then
Hey Shell, you know it's kind of funny
Texas always seemed so big
Until you're hanging out up in Anchorage
Hey Girl, I think the last time I saw you
Was on me and Leroy's wedding day
What was the name of that love song you played?
I forgot how it goes
I don't recall how it goes
Oh, Leroy got a better job so we moved
Kevin lost a tooth now he's started school
I got a brand new eight month old baby girl
I sound like a housewife
Hey Shell, I think I'm a housewife
Hey Shell, you know it's kind of funny
Texas always seemed so big
But you know you're in the largest state in the union
When you're anchored down in Anchorage
Hey Girl, what's it like to be in New York?
New York City - imagine that!
Tell me, what's it like to be a skateboard punk rocker?
Leroy says "Send a picture"
Leroy says "Hello"
Leroy says "Oh, keep on rocking, girl"
"yeah, keep on rocking"
Hey girl, it's about time you wrote
It's been over two years now, my old friend
Take me back to the days of the foreign telegrams
And the all-night rock and rollin'...
We was wild then
Keep on rollin'
Oh, Anchorage
You there in Anchorage
Oh, Anchorage
I wrote this song in New York City
But it's about a time I spent in Dallas
Reading telegrams from overseas
I was working in a room with about 40 women
And one male supervisor
Well I made friends with this one woman
She was bringing up her young son by herself
So sometimes after work we'd take him to her mother's
So that we could go out dancing
I took time out to write to my old friend
Walked across that burning bridge
Mailed my letter off to Dallas
But the reply came from Anchorage, Alaska
She said
"Hey girl, it's about time you wrote
It's been over two years my old friend
Take me back to the days of the foreign telegrams
And the all-night rock and rollin'... hey Shell
We was wild then
Hey Shell, you know it's kind of funny
Texas always seemed so big
Until you're hanging out up in Anchorage
Hey Girl, I think the last time I saw you
Was on me and Leroy's wedding day
What was the name of that love song you played?
I forgot how it goes
I don't recall how it goes
Oh, Leroy got a better job so we moved
Kevin lost a tooth now he's started school
I got a brand new eight month old baby girl
I sound like a housewife
Hey Shell, I think I'm a housewife
Hey Shell, you know it's kind of funny
Texas always seemed so big
But you know you're in the largest state in the union
When you're anchored down in Anchorage
Hey Girl, what's it like to be in New York?
New York City - imagine that!
Tell me, what's it like to be a skateboard punk rocker?
Leroy says "Send a picture"
Leroy says "Hello"
Leroy says "Oh, keep on rocking, girl"
"yeah, keep on rocking"
Hey girl, it's about time you wrote
It's been over two years now, my old friend
Take me back to the days of the foreign telegrams
And the all-night rock and rollin'...
We was wild then
Keep on rollin'
Oh, Anchorage
You there in Anchorage
Oh, Anchorage