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 uninterupted prosperity,
Who uses a machete, to cut through red tape.
~Short Skirt, Long Jacket by Cake
I find this song by Cake quite humorous, even though I'm sure the majority of the innuendos elude me. I'm so naive I'm not even sure if the song contains innuendos, but I'm going to assume that it does to be safe.
But I think it's funny what Cake is looking for in a girl. In essence he's looking for the modern day woman who has "good dividends" and is "sharp as a tack". I think it funny, because this weekend I started realizing that Cake and I are not in competition for the same girl.
Two of my best friends were in town this weekend, and as has become our custom, we finished off with the obligatory pow-wow. We discussed AIDS in Africa, poverty, and how we can help with the situation. And of course, we discussed girls. It's hard to transition from AIDs in Africa to girls, but it is indeed possible.
One of my friends just started dating a girl, after briefly subdating (a whole other blog could cover that very definition!), and he was describing why he liked her. Every part of her, he said, flowed grace and encouragement. Everything she seemed to do was driven by deep love and compassion. While I'm sure she isn't perfect, she sounded incredibly angelic. It then occured to me those qualitys are what I'm looking for.
Many times I think I've gone after the wrong things. Someone who needs me and I can fix. Someone who is funny and enchanting. Someone who is beautiful or brilliant. Most of these things are good, but they aren't eternal. How great to think of someone who supports and encourages me in everything I do. Who is wanting me to reach Heaven and be with God as much as she wants to be there herself.
Not only is that what I want, but that's what I want to be for someone. I can only attract someone like that if I am like that myself. There may be some deep evangelical lesson in all of this too, because that is what draws people to understanding God more.
So I now know what to look for. It's taken awhile, and I've been a little more dense than I should have been. Of course, she probably needs to be brilliant and cute too. :)
...on the way home.
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14 comments:
Blake ~
You crack me up! I've heard many differing opinions on the meaning of this song but have never thought about it too deeply myself. Whether you're looking for the short skirt, long jacket girl or the one who "flows with grace" I always enjoy discussing your dating philosophies and hearing your take on things. I learn something new every time!
Blake, I'm pretty sure he just really wants a girl with a short skirt and a loooooong, a long jacket.
plain and simple.
It's about a business woman...think about it. Really listen to the lyrics and think about how a business woman would act and dress.
Short skirt/long jacket is a metaphor for the evolution of a typical corporation in America.
my friend, short skirt / long jacket is a metaphor for wanting a girl who is kinky (short skirt) but is able to present herself modestly (long jacket).
I think that long jacket is a metaphor for large labia.
Firstly - Finding other Christians who listen to CAKE and are sold out and real for God makes me smile. We are few and far between.
Secondly - I hate to rant, but I'm going to rant a little. After having looked at the website "songmeanings.com" I've realized that I'm extremely glad that John McCrea (lead singer/ songwriter) is smarter and more cultured than 90% of CAKE's fan base. Believe it or not, CAKE sings about stuff other than sex. In fact, the large majority of their songs are NOT about sex. So those of you who turn all of CAKE's songs into something sexual, grow up, read a few books, and listen to the songs again when you have a stronger education in literature and culture.
Lastly - To understand the meaning of "Short Skirt, Long Jacket", I turn to John McCrea himself, who wrote the song. He said to the Rolling Stone in 2005, "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."
So in essence, I think that the girl with a short skirt and a long jacket is exactly who I want. I want a girl in which the oppositional forces of Grace and Justice meet. I want a girl who has found the balance between lovingly accepting others, and lovingly sharing Truth. I want a girl who is like Jesus himself. I want a girl with a Short Skirt and a Long Jacket.
Anon, 20 Feb 2009. You're right on the money. Long inner labia. No question. I long for a girl with a short skirt and loooong jacket.
Strong liquidation - natural KY gel++.
Playing with her jewelry - labia piercings.
Touring the facility - fingering herself.
Picking up the slack - gathering those labia up.
Gets up early - when mine does.
Uninterrupted prosperity - protruding clitoris.
Good DDDividends - no explanation needed.
This is from a Nate. Stfu, it's about pussy, you faggot.
It's about a hooker...she stays up later and then leaves. No small talk = no red tape...dolled up finger nails, blah blah blah...it's about a call girl anyhow...who shows up in a short skirt and a trench...
What does God have to do with all this? Obviously the innuendos have left you far behind, yet google somehow puts you at the number 2 link for "short skirt long jacket meaning".
1. There is no god or gods. Get over it.
2. This song is about a prostitute.
3. She's like a hooker super hero.
4. Kitty -> Karen, ready to cash in on the suburbs.
Anyhow, good luck solving AIDS in Africa.
Interesting blog. I'm so glad you married Kacee. :)
I loved this post. The best thing about lyrics, is it is open to whatever it means to the listener. No one but Cake can definitively declare the meaning and like most artists, they likely care less about a listener getting the bands meaning and care most about making the song personal. That is how you make any art.
The first time I heard it I thought long jacket was slang for a long portfolio, resume or record. Lots of experience.
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