I first heard
about the American singer / songwriter Michelle Shocked when I read a review of
her first album "Texas Campfire Tapes" - a lo-fi recording on a Sony
Walkman of her and guitar playing a series of songs, amid the sounds of
crickets and the fire cracking - an unusual but charming introduction .
The second
album released in 1988 - "Short
Sharp Shocked" was a little more polished with a studio recording and full
band supporting, but it was still an enjoyable collection of folk or Americana,
highlighting her mature song-writing. There was also a political edge, the
album cover photo, shows her in a chokehold whilst being arrested during a political
protest. This incident also spawned her adopted stage name, a pun on Miss Shell-Shocked, given to the arresting
officer.
"Anchorage"
was the first single from the album, and remains her most famous song, about
friendship and change. Shocked writes to an old friend in Texas, and details the
reply from Anchorage, Alaska. Her friend chides Michelle for losing touch ("
it's about time you wrote / It's been over two years now my old friend"). She reminisces about their past - they worked
together processing foreign telegrams (another dated 1980s reference) during the
day, and the "all night rock n'
rollin', hey Chel we was wild then".
They have not
met since her wedding day, where of course Shocked played. Now she moved with
her husband Leroy to Alaska, and has two children - "Hey Shell, I think I'm a housewife". It is open to interpretation whether the friend is happy ?
The key line "Anchored down in Anchorage" can be read two ways. Is
she secure or trapped by her new domesticity ? Is she jealous of
Michelle's freedom to be a "skateboard punk rocker" in New York City?
The song is
based on her two real friends, JoAnn Kelli & Leroy Bingham, who feature in the black and white video. So I
am guessing that she is happy, but just a little nostalgic for the her good
friend. Finally she and Leroy, hope that Michelle will always "keep on rocking".
The music is
a country / folk style, with the organ leading, and the acoustic guitar, fiddle,
mandolin and drums following. Despite good
reviews, "Anchorage" was only a minor hit on US college radio, and
gradually Shocked's career became more
selective (as Spinal Tap would say), and she has not released anything for over
ten years now.
Hear Now - https://vimeo.com/99288663
Hear Next -
"Short Sharp Shocked" is her best album but also the "Texas
Campfire Tapes".
** The book of "Song from a Quarantine" is now available on all Amazon sites in paperback and ebook formats.
