Short Skirt/Long Jacket by Cake

Album: Comfort Eagle (2001)

Charted: 63

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

This is an exaggerated lyrical song that is simply about finding the right girl. It is about how men look for particular women with certain details about them; sometimes these details can be as particular as having a short skirt and a long jacket. >>
Suggestion credit:
Brian - Altoona, PA
Lead singer John McCrea told Rolling Stone about the line, "I want a girl with a short skirt and a long jacket": "I think it was inspired by seeing somebody with those two oppositional fashion gestures. And that's sort of what the song is about, directly oppositional forces housed within the same mechanism or personage. I saw this woman as trying to arrive at balance - the skirt going up and the jacket going down." >>
Suggestion credit:
Bertrand - Paris, France
The music from this song was used as the opening theme to the TV series Chuck, a spy comedy that ran on NBC for five seasons starting in 2007.
The music video took a novel approach. Regular people out and about in California were asked to listen to the song and give their honest opinion. The entire video consists of these 28 folks listening to the song and reacting to it. Some like it ("I really enjoy this song a lot") and others don't ("too much thumping"). Several offer specific critiques ("I don't like the 'na-na-na' part," "If you get the right lead singer it would be hot"). The band members never appear.

There weren't as many privacy concerns in early 2001: All of these folks are identified by their full names, even the young students. They are also titled by job description or primary characteristic ("home school student," "street vendor," "retired architect"). Rafe DeWitt, identified as "unemployed," says, "I just paid $18,000 to divorce my wife. If she was a little more like this broad in the song, I think I might have stayed with her."
The song's intro was used to accompany highlights in the UK football magazine show Match of the Day 2 for the 2010-11 season.
To achieve the rattling sound that accents the verses, the band used a vibraslap, an unusual percussion instrument that shows up in many of their songs. A modern version of a jawbone, it features a u-shaped wire that attaches a wooden ball to a hollow box with metal pins inside. Striking the ball with the palm of the hand causes a vibration that produces a rattling effect.

The distinct sound also introduces tracks like Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train" and The Jimi Hendrix Experience's version of "All Along The Watchtower."

Comments: 12

Budtrom1 from TexasI've always thought it was jack it, and she's good at edging.
Keith from Philadelphia, MsI've always thought that this song is an underground masterpiece of fashion appreciation. I mean, who wouldn't want to sing about the details of clothing choices and their impact on our sexual perception? It's like a deep dive into the psychology of textile fetishization, where every stitch and fold becomes a canvas of desire. The way he passionately discusses the object of his desires but returns to the motif of the short skirt and long jacket, it's almost like a love letter to the fashion industry itself. It's truly an ode to the unsung heroes of our wardrobe, those short skirts and long jackets that are the true objects of our desires with the people in them being merely mannequins to serve as a vessel to deliver clothing!
The Cheshire Kitten from DenverI have loved this song for a long time (and have always liked to wear the pairing of a short skirt and long jacket, long before I ever heard this song), however, I did just think of a slightly interesting thing about that particular outfit combo. The term Agoraphilia applies to people who are exhibitionists or have a fetish for having sex in public. The short skirt, especially paired with either no underwear, or crotchless underwear, provides easy access, while the long jacket protects both partners from getting scratched or poked by anything if on the grass or in the woods. Even in a city, that outfit would be ideal for that kind of thing, because if you hear someone walking up on you, you can just stop, with no awkward fumbling after to put clothing back on. Whether they were thinking this when they wrote it, I can't pretend to know for sure, so I won't speculate Cake's meaning in it one way or another. Also, I suppose for what I just described, a long skirt could work just as well, so it probably is more about the semi-anachronistic fashion of it, but it just gave me some food for thought in the near future when I'm choosing outfits to buy, so I thought I'd share...
Peter from Canada, East CoastIt's a parody. Clever with just a hint of yearning. Love this song and so do the women I introduce the song to.
Melizza from New Hope, TxI love your comment Aairhead, that's what I always thought about the song. It's kind of an anthem for some women, I imagine this woman is unstoppable. In your mind, she can look however you like, but her will is iron. I have always loved it.
Aairhead from Sparks, NvMy mom comes to mind every time I hear this song. He is definitely describing a detailed image and fantasizing about the kind of girl he wants. but I found that none of the details are objectively precise enough to be considered "particular details". Every physical detail he mentions (which is what typical guys who are not lyrical artists or poets tend to focus on) like her shoes, eyes, finger nails, even the short skirt and long jacket- are only suggestive of the non-physical attributes. He does not create a solid visual image of her at all. She could look like anyone. short, tall, thin, fat, blond, brunette, young, old, color of her eyes or nail polish, what kind of shoes... Everything (and I literally mean EVERYTHiNG) is cerebral metaphor and concept. Each so-called particular detail really only serves to reinforce the general theme of his ideal. A strong, independent, hard-working, smart, shrewd, confident, highly competent, commanding, no-nonsense, go-getter. She's a successful career woman who is a financial wiz, she's got her s--t together, knows what she wants and will get it. on the fast track up to boss lady. And the short skirt/long jacket brings to mind a stereotypical of a Smoking hot lawyer, CEO, business owner
Colin from NhI think that the singer wants someone who is smart but also likes to have fun. The short skirt being the fun aspect, and the long jacket being a lab coat or the like. Hence the talk of "smooth liquidation" and "touring the facility and picking up slack"
Mark from El Cajon, CaIts pretty obvious that this guy wants a girl that has a sense of opposition or a contrast in her styles. However whenever I listen to this I seem to think of more. For some reason I would picture the main character as Uncle Sam describing his perfect Aunt Samantha. I picture this cause he talks about banks as well as bright and flashyness, boldness (similar to the American culture). He talks about seeing her at the bank (American currency largely revolves around the bank) as well as a short skirt covered by a long jacket. I could see this jacket ans skirt a dark blue or red covered in stars. I don't know why this image always comes to me, but even the beat of the song makes me think of it.
Jas from Clifton, TxAndy from San Jose, if you actually read what the guys from Cake said about the song, it has nothing to do with a "criminal jacket," and that is a ridiculously far-out stretch in interpretation. It's a girl wearing a short skirt who is also wearing a long jacket, not that uncommon in the fashion world. Like the guy from Cake, who actually sings the song and knows what it's about, said, it's like she was trying to find a balance between the two extremes. It's a great song and it has absolutely nothing to do with anything criminal. Don't let your desire to be a wannabe philosopher overrule good sense, and don't let it overrule what the band actually says about their own song. People always think that they know some hidden meaning that the artist doesn't. The same thing happened to The Vapors with 'Turning Japanese.' It was about obsession, but countless people swore it was really about masturbation, even though the Vapors said outright that it's about obsession. If you want to believe this is about a girl with a "criminal jacket;" A) you're going totally against what Cake was trying to say and; B) it kinda says a lot about the women you date. Just enjoy the song the way they meant it, they're artists and we owe them that.
Andy from San Jose, Ca"I want a girl with a short skirt and a long jacket" That line is referring to a short skirt and a long criminal jacket not an actual jacket.
Vikram from San Diego, Cathis song is about the ideal girl. you want her to be sexy and edgy(short skirt) but at the same time a responsible woman with a good head on her shoulders(long jacket). the girl/woman is still wild but on the verge of being ready to settle down. -baird, sierra madre
Joshua from Twin Cities, MnQuite a few once-good songs have been ruined by being used as jingles for beer (and other) commercials. This song, on the other hand, sounds like it actually BELONGS in a beer commercial, but isn't. I guess we really do live in a world without justice...

see more comments

More Songfacts:

American PieDon McLean

Don McLean's "American Pie" starts in mono and gradually goes to stereo. It isn't full stereo until the end of the song, which is over 8 minutes long.

Hangin' ToughNew Kids On The Block

"Hangin' Tough" came at the peak of New Kids On The Block mania (1988). Their writer/producer Maurice Starr wrote it about the struggles the band faced early on. It was a #1 hit in both America and the UK.

Scooby SnacksFun Lovin' Criminals

The Scooby Snacks in the Fun Lovin' Criminals song aren't dog treats, they're Valium pills.

The Girl Is MineMichael Jackson

The first single from the Thriller album was "The Girl Is Mine," chosen over "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" because it was a duet with Paul McCartney and thus guaranteed airplay.

CenterfieldJohn Fogerty

"Centerfield" was the first song enshrined in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.

Love Never Felt So GoodMichael Jackson

Michael Jackson became the first artist in history to score Top 10 hits in five consecutive decades on the Hot 100 when "Love Never Felt So Good" landed at #9 on the chart dated May 31, 2014.