Short Skirt/Long Jacket Lyrics
I want a girl who knows what's best
I want a girl with shoes that cut
And eyes that burn like cigarettes
Who's 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 who stays up late
I want a girl with uninterrupted prosperity
Who uses a machette to cut through red tape
With fingernails that shine like justice
And a voice that is dark like tinted glass
And sharp as a tack
She's touring the facility
And picking up slack
I want a girl with good dividends
And at the city bank we will meet accidentally
We'll start to talk when she borrows my pen
She wants a car that will get her there
She's changing her name from Kitty to Karen
She's trading her MG for a white Chrysler La Baron
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.
@quas I think you're drawing the wrong comparison - I think the comparison is between things that are traditionally considered sexy (great breasts) with things that are responsible and mature (great dividends). I think the joke is that what he finds sexy at this point in his life is a girl who has her crap together. I think its supposed to be a positive thing, not negative. A love song by somebody in their 30's rather than somebody in their 20's. That's the joke.
@quas I think you're drawing the wrong comparison - I think the comparison is between things that are traditionally considered sexy (great breasts) with things that are responsible and mature (great dividends). I think the joke is that what he finds sexy at this point in his life is a girl who has her crap together. I think its supposed to be a positive thing, not negative. A love song by somebody in their 30's rather than somebody in their 20's. That's the joke.
@quas " but McCrea never mentions what she's like as a person." He specifically mentions she's thorough, which is a personality trait. But generally yes, there's little to do with personality directly. You can however deduce things about her personality from her decisions. She "uses a machete to cut through red tape", which only certain personality types can do. She "knows what's best", not believes, knows. She traded in an MG which looks cool for one that has the largest trunk space in it's class*.
@quas " but McCrea never mentions what she's like as a person." He specifically mentions she's thorough, which is a personality trait. But generally yes, there's little to do with personality directly. You can however deduce things about her personality from her decisions. She "uses a machete to cut through red tape", which only certain personality types can do. She "knows what's best", not believes, knows. She traded in an MG which looks cool for one that has the largest trunk space in it's class*.
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This song seems to be about the new "independent 21st century woman" image that the media seems to be pushing these days, who can somehow perfectly balance her high paying job with her personal life. It seems like John McCrea's being sarcastic and may not really want a girl like that.
I think he is not being sarcastic because of this part:
I think he is not being sarcastic because of this part:
With fingernails That shine like justice And a voice that is dark Like tinted glass
With fingernails That shine like justice And a voice that is dark Like tinted glass
That does not seem sarcastic at all. It seems very deep. And, if this part is not sarcastic, the whole song, being very homogeneous, cannot be sarcastic.
That does not seem sarcastic at all. It seems very deep. And, if this part is not sarcastic, the whole song, being very homogeneous, cannot be sarcastic.
That verse is actually the one that I find the most hilarious in all the song. What the hell are "fingernails // That shine like justice"? I dunno man. I dunno.
That verse is actually the one that I find the most hilarious in all the song. What the hell are "fingernails // That shine like justice"? I dunno man. I dunno.
@Wrapid I don't think he's sarcastic, I think he's just self aware that its unexpected for a song like this. He wants a girl like that because he's at a point in his life where he is ready to settle down and wants somebody who is able to take care of themselves and be responsible. That's the joke of the song is that he is interested in that instead of just what she looks like. He does want somebody sexy but he wants somebody sexy and responsible, and as the song goes on he gets more and more literal on...
@Wrapid I don't think he's sarcastic, I think he's just self aware that its unexpected for a song like this. He wants a girl like that because he's at a point in his life where he is ready to settle down and wants somebody who is able to take care of themselves and be responsible. That's the joke of the song is that he is interested in that instead of just what she looks like. He does want somebody sexy but he wants somebody sexy and responsible, and as the song goes on he gets more and more literal on the responsible parts, which is supposed to be funny, but not insincere
This song is not about a prostitute. It can be summed up by the title "short skirt/long jacket." The long jacket implies her prudential nature that the short skirt identifies it as being subjective. In other words a girl who is both 'sexy' and has her head on right.
I think McCrea is messing with us. :P
People seem to think that he's talking about some sort of awesome, unattainable dream chick, but I doubt that. I think McCrea is singing about the maturing tastes of a man in his late twenties or so-- a girl who's hot, yes, but also reserved and responsible. "Putting up her hair" denotes that, as often a wilder girl would let her hair flow freely.
The machete sounds free-spirited enough, but McCrea uses the analogy (quite cleverly) to describe efficiency. She uses the machete to cut through red tape. In other words, she finishes her work quickly and effortlessly with style.
"Changing her name from Kitty to Karen" sounds like she would also just be entering the life of a responsible adult. The identity McCrea assumes isn't looking for a cougar-- just a girl who's maturing at the same rate he is. A girl who's tired of hookups and partying and wants to live like an adult. I saw "yuppie" a while back, that's a pretty good word to describe these people. And I definitely don't think it's irony or sarcasm or satire or anything like that.
@Fritzy This is what I think the song is about - drawing a funny parallel with a mature love song, sounding like he's singing about salacious things, but just wanting a girl who has her crap together
@Fritzy This is what I think the song is about - drawing a funny parallel with a mature love song, sounding like he's singing about salacious things, but just wanting a girl who has her crap together
This song is actually about how trivial the whole mate-seeking process is. "I want a girl who gets up early, I want a girl who stays out late." That is him saying he can't make up his mind and its all arbitrary.
@idavidblack I think what he's saying is he wants somebody both able to have fun, but also be responsible. She gets up early to go to work, but she still likes to have a good time.
@idavidblack I think what he's saying is he wants somebody both able to have fun, but also be responsible. She gets up early to go to work, but she still likes to have a good time.
This song is simply about wanting a woman who is both a "girl" and a "lady," who is sexy and professional at the same time.
I think that he wants a woman that does not exist, thats too good to be true. Some of her traits that he wants are contridictary she is pretty daring by wearing the short skirt, but still is conservative enough to wear the long jacket
I want a girl Who gets up early I want a girl Who stays up late
not that this scenario is impossible but it is less likley that a person will keep this up for too long. i hope that i maid my point, i'm a little tired right now :D
CAKE RULES!
@MorningStar She need only take the afternoon nap!
@MorningStar She need only take the afternoon nap!
short skirt, long jacket...almost like the saying, "good girls are bad girls who don't get caught. I interpret this as a girl with a wild side, not a wild girl. A girl who is morally fit and independent in terms of getting things done and doing what she wants. A girl with a long jacket over a short skirt...he is the only one that would be able to see here with the jacket off...and getting down to it, that's what the song is saying. He wants a good girl with a wild side.
Wordy, but i got my point across.
i think it more about a girl with 2 sides. stays up late, gets up early (wouldnt that be perfect) short skirt/long jacket. being diverse in situations and adapting into the mood.
I think it's about the dude wanting both. He wants a girl that can have fun but work hard I guess. Very good song