She Thinks I Still Care
By: Dickey Lee Lipscomb, Steve Duffy

Original Performance: George Jones
Written by: Dickey Lee Lipscomb, Steve Duffy

 
Lyrics:
She Thinks I Still Care [Version (a)]:

[From November 26 2000 version]

This is called "She Still Thinks I Care."

Just because I asked a friend about her
Just because I spoke her name somewhere
Just because I ring her number by mistake today
She still thinks I care

Just because I haunt the same old places
Where the memory of her lingers everywhere
Just because I'm not the happy guy I used to be
She thinks I still care

If she's maybe thinking I still need her
Don't let that foolish notion bring a tear
How could she ever be so foolish?
How could she get such an idea?

Just because I asked her friend about her
Just because I spoke her name somewhere
Just because I saw her memory all to pieces
She thinks I still care

If she's happy thinking I still need her
Don't let that silly notion bring a tear
Where'd she get such a foolish notion?
How could she get such an idea?
 
The Song:

This "sad old country tune" (as Beck introduced it) has been recorded by numerous musicians. It is however most closely associated with country legend, George Jones. Beck is a fan (Jones has a song called "These Days (I Barely Get By)").

Beck's performance mixes a little more of a folk sound into the traditionally country tune.
 
Live:

Played live 4 times:
Earliest known live version: November 26, 2000
Latest known live version: May 19, 2013

"She Thinks I Still Care" was played again a few months later at the Petra Haden benefit concert on November 26 2000. Haden, a Beck collaborator of old, had been in a serious car accident and was running up awful hospital bills. A concert was thrown to help out, and Beck played a solo acoustic set. I think this gorgeous performance was the highlight of Beck's show.

One of Beck's shows in Japan in March 2003 was (mostly) acoustic. The middle of the show was done with Smokey, much like the August 2002 tour. At this show, they played "She Thinks I Still Care" together. Smokey's addition to the song is some superb slide guitar.  It's a surprise they didn't play this in August 2002 at all...I wonder what made Beck remember it after three years.
 
Notes: