Laurie Anderson - Time and a Half lyrics

In the middle of the seventeenth century
The only people living in
The American colonies were the Indians
A few scattered pilgrims
And lots of British troops communication
Between Britain and the colonies
Was confused and chaotic king
George told the troops:
"Just pick some kind of headquarters
And talk to me
From there I don't care where you put it"
The logical choice for the headquarters was
Philadelphia which had a few
Brick streets and some picturesque supply
Stores and nobody has ever
Been able to figure out why
The British troops chose Washington
Instead -which was basically a few
Shacks in a swamp
Recently, historians have discovered two
Facts that might
Add up to a possible explanation first
The outskirts of washington, DC lay just a
Few yards inside the
Official subtropical zone of the
British Empire second
All British troops working
In subtropical zones
Were paid time and a half