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’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 with a short skirt and a long jacket
I want a girl who gets up early
I want a girl who stays up late
I want a girl with uninterrupted prosperity
Who uses a machete to cut through red tape
With fingernails that shine like justice
And a voice that is dark like tinted glass
She is fast and thorough and sharp as a tack
She’s touring the facility and picking up slack
I want a girl with a short skirt and a long long jacket
I want a girl with a smooth liquidation
I want a girl with good dividends
At Citibank we will meet accidentally
We’ll start to talk when she borrows my pen
She wants a car with a cupholder arm rest
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 Le Baron
I want a girl with a short skirt and a long jacket
Behind the Music: Meaning & Story
The Chuck theme song is the iconic track “Short Skirt / Long Jacket” by the American alternative rock band Cake. Originally released in 2001 on their album Comfort Eagle, the song’s rhythmic, deadpan delivery and signature trumpet flourishes became synonymous with the high-stakes, high-humor world of Chuck Bartowski.
The series, which premiered on NBC in 2007, stars Zachary Levi as an everyday computer tech at the “Buy More” who accidentally downloads the Intersect—a massive database of government secrets—into his brain. The lyrics of the song, which describe an efficient, professional, yet alluring woman, mirror the character of Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski), the elite CIA agent assigned to protect Chuck and who often embodies the “fast and thorough” traits mentioned in the track.
Throughout its 91 episodes, the song’s distinctive bassline and drum beat served as the perfect backdrop for the show’s animated opening credits. The track perfectly captures the show’s blend of “nerd culture” and “cool espionage,” helping it secure a dedicated cult following that famously saved the show from cancellation multiple times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What band sings the Chuck theme song?
The theme song is performed by Cake, an alternative rock band from Sacramento, California, known for the hit song “The Distance.”
Who is the Intersect?
In the show, the Intersect is a secret government computer system. After Chuck accidentally receives an encoded email from his old friend Bryce Larkin, he becomes a “human Intersect,” able to “flash” on classified information.
How many seasons of Chuck are there?
The show ran for 5 seasons on NBC, concluding with a two-part series finale in January 2012.
