Why Don't You Get a Job?

Last updated

"Why Don't You Get a Job?"
TheOffspringWDYGAJ.jpg
Single by the Offspring
from the album Americana
B-side "Beheaded (1999)"
ReleasedMarch 15, 1999 (1999-03-15)
Length2:51
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) Dexter Holland
Producer(s) Dave Jerden [1]
The Offspring singles chronology
"Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)"
(1998)		"Why Don't You Get a Job?"
(1999)		"The Kids Aren't Alright"
(1999)
Music video
"Why Don't You Get a Job?" on YouTube

"Why Don't You Get a Job?" is a song by American rock band the Offspring. The song is the 11th track on the Offspring's fifth studio album, Americana (1998), and was released as its second single on March 15, 1999. The song also appears as the eighth track on the band's Greatest Hits album (2005). The single peaked within the top 10 of the charts in several countries, including reaching number two in the United Kingdom, Australia, Iceland, and Sweden.

Contents

The song drew attention from multiple music writers for its similarities to the song "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", the Beatles' 1968 hit from their self-titled double album (also known as the White Album). [2] [3] [4]

Music video

The music video, directed by McG, [5] was shot on the backlot of Universal Studios Hollywood. Lead singer Dexter Holland paraglides down to a suburban street and starts singing acapella while walking down the street, beats are soon added by a girl with a boombox, the rest of the band and a man playing the steelpan. As the video progress, the group walks through several TV and movie set locations, such as Colonial Street and Courthouse Square. More and more people join them as the video progress into an impromptu parade, including a marching band, female contestants walking out on the filming of a dating game show, and both friends with terrible partners discussed in the song. Eventually the crowd walks up to a large red button labelled "Do not push" which Holland presses. This triggers an explosion and the crowd scatters in a panic.

Several cameos are featured: Bob Eubanks hosts the parody dating show, Chris "X-13" Higgins and Pussycat Dolls member Carmit Bachar are the deadbeat boyfriend and his girlfriend mentioned in the third verse, and Guy Cohen, who played the main character in the "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" video, makes an appearance shortly before the video ends. The video appears on the Complete Music Video Collection DVD, released in 2005.

Track listings

Australia CD maxi

No.TitleLength
1."Why Don't You Get a Job?"2:51
2."Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (Lowriders Remix)3:03
3."Beheaded (1999)"2:39
4.""Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)"" (Music Video in the CD-ROM)3:09

Part 2

No.TitleLength
1."Why Don't You Get a Job?"2:51
2."Why Don't You Get a Job?" (The Baka Boyz Remix)4:24
3."Beheaded (1999)"2:39
4."I Wanna Be Sedated" (Ramones Cover)2:21

Later version

No.TitleLength
1."Why Don't You Get a Job?"2:51
2."Beheaded (1999)"2:39
3."I Wanna Be Sedated" (Ramones Cover)2:21

Personnel

The Offspring

Additional musicians

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [52] 2× Platinum140,000^
Italy (FIMI) [53] Gold50,000‡
Sweden (GLF) [54] Gold15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [55] Gold400,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesJanuary 25, 1999 Active rock radio Columbia [56]
AustraliaMarch 15, 1999CD [57]
United StatesMarch 23, 1999 Contemporary hit radio [58]
EuropeMarch 30, 1999CD [17]
United KingdomApril 26, 1999
  • CD
  • cassette
 [59]
JapanJune 19, 1999CD Epic [60]

Cover versions

Australian country singer John Williamson covered the song as part of the Andrew Denton's Musical Challenge album in 2000

South African singer Snotkop translated the song into Afrikaans as "Kry jou ass by die werk" [61] (radio edit titled "Kry jouself by die werk").

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References

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