| Why Don't You Get a Job? | |
| Cover: | TheOffspringWDYGAJ.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | the Offspring |
| Album: | Americana |
| B-Side: | Beheaded (1999) |
| Length: | 2:51 |
| Label: | Columbia |
| Producer: | Dave Jerden[1] |
| Prev Title: | Pretty Fly (For a White Guy) |
| Prev Year: | 1998 |
| Next Title: | The Kids Aren't Alright |
| Next Year: | 1999 |
"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.
The song drew attention for its close similarity to the song "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", as multiple music writers pointed out that the melody and rhythm sounded much like the Beatles' 1968 release from their self-titled double album (also known as the "White Album").[2] [3] [4]
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.
Australia CD maxi
Part 2
Later version
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[6] | 6 |
| Greece (IFPI)[7] | 10 |
| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[8] | 2 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[9] | 12 |
| Latvia (Latvijas Top 40)[10] | 2 |
| Lithuania (M-1)[11] | 1 |
| Scandinavia Airplay (Music & Media)[12] | 15 |
| Chart (1999) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[13] | 9 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] | 94 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[15] | 95 | |
| Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[16] | 29 | |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[17] | 85 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[18] | 57 | |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19] | 46 | |
| Romania (Romanian Top 100)[20] | 27 | |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[21] | 11 | |
| US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)[22] | 38 | |
| US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[23] | 91 | |
| US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard) | 14 |
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | January 25, 1999 | Active rock radio | Columbia | [24] | |
| Australia | March 15, 1999 | CD | [25] | ||
| United States | March 23, 1999 | Contemporary hit radio | [26] | ||
| Europe | March 30, 1999 | CD | |||
| United Kingdom | April 26, 1999 | [27] | |||
| Japan | June 19, 1999 | CD | Epic | [28] |
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"[29] (radio edit titled "Kry jouself by die werk").
