I want a girl with a mind like a diamond
I want a girl who knows what's best
I want a girl with shoes that cut
And eyes that burn like cigarettes

I want a girl with the right allocations
Who is fast, and thorough, and sharp as a tack
She's playing with her jewelry
She's putting up her hair
She's touring the facility
And picking up slack
I want a girl with a short skirt and a long jacket

I want a girl who gets up early (gets up early)
I want a girl who stays up late (stays up late)
I want a girl with uninterrupted prosperity (uninterrupted)
Who uses a machete, to cut through red tape

With fingernails (hey), that shine like justice (ho)
And a voice that is dark (hey), like tinted glass (ho)
She is fast (hey), thorough, and sharp as a tack (ho)
She is touring the facility (hey) and picking up slack
I want a girl with a short skirt and a long, long jacket

La-la la-la la-la
La-la la-la la, la
La-la la-la la-la
La-la la-la la, la
La-la la-la la-la
La-la la-la la, la
La-la la-la la-la
La-la la-la la, la
La-la la-la la-la
La-la la-la la, la

I want a girl with a smooth liquidation (smooth liquidation)
I want a girl with good dividends (good dividends)
At Citibank, we will meet accidentally (meet accidentally)
We'll start to talk when she borrows my pen

She wants a car (hey) with a cup holder armrest (ho)
She wants a car (hey) that will get her there (ho)
She's changing her name (hey)
From Kitty to Karen (ho)
She's trading her MG (hey) for a white Chrysler LeBaron
I want a girl with a short skirt and a long, jacket

La-la la-la la-la
La-la la-la la, la
La-la la-la la-la
La-la la-la la, la
La-la la-la la-la
La-la la-la la, la
La-la la-la la-la
La-la la-la la, la
La-la la-la la-la
La-la la-la la, la


Lyrics submitted by shut, edited by Zorro3

Short Skirt/Long Jacket Lyrics as written by John Mccrea

Lyrics © Stamen Music

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Short Skirt/Long Jacket song meanings
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  • +14
    General Comment

    I've always thought this song was satirizing corporate culture and the American lifestyle, and making a point of how they can suck the fun out of people.

    The girl in the song is "changing her name from Kitty to Karen" (presumably because "Karen" is more conservative and professional-sounding) and trading in her European sports car for a white, American model with little character (but with cup holders for her morning commute!). Her life seems to be focused entirely on her career ("touring the facility and picking up slack", working long hours, dealing with red tape, and managing her finances).

    Notice how her personality is never even mentioned in the song? The girl has "a mind like a diamond", "uninterrupted prosperity", jewelry, and shiny nails, but McCrea never mentions what she's like as a person. I think he's making the point that people tend to focus very heavily on others' monetary success, but they tend to forget things like, say...what they're actually like as people.

    This song obviously relies very heavily on irony. It's pretty clear to me that he's using it to make a point; he doesn't actually want a girl who spends all her time working. Cake are known for their hatred of commercialism and corporate bloat, so it would be very out of character for them to idealize such a conservative and money-focused businessperson.

    quason November 08, 2005   Link

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