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Why Don't You Get a Job?
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Why Don't You Get a Job?
| cover = TheOffspringWDYGAJ.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = the Offspring
| album = Americana
| B-side = Beheaded (1999)
| released =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 2:49
| label = Columbia
| writer = Dexter Holland
| producer = Dave Jerden
| prev_title = Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)
| prev_year = 1998
| next_title = The Kids Aren't Alright
| next_year = 1999
| misc =
}}
"'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"). [http://www.angelfire.com/ok/yayayayaya/waspostamerev.html Alt URL]
Music video
The music video, directed by McG, was shot on the backlot of Universal Studios Hollywood. Several TV and movie set locations can be seen throughout the video, including Colonial Street (which was used as Wisteria Lane in 'Desperate Housewives)' and Courthouse Square from the 'Back to the Future' trilogy. The video features the four members of the band walking through these locations while a steadily growing crowd follows them.
Dexter Holland opens the video by flying into a serene suburban setting on a hang glider. A male fast food worker (played by Dor Ashur) has a milkshake dumped on his face by a group of buxom female customers and then throws himself through a window, and a BMX biker falls off a roof shortly thereafter. Towards the end, Holland triggers an explosion that scatters his followers so that only his fellow band members (with the notable exception of Ron Welty who leaves the scene just seconds prior) remain.
Bob Eubanks, the host of the 'Newlywed Game,' makes a cameo appearance. Towards the end of the video, Guy Cohen, who played the main character in the "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" video, makes a short appearance. Chris "X-13" Higgins appears in the video as a lazy boyfriend (as described in the third verse). Pussycat Dolls member Carmit Bachar plays his girlfriend.
The video appears on the 'Complete Music Video Collection' DVD, released in 2005.
Track listings
'Australia CD Maxi'
'Part 2'
'Later version'
'Promo CD'
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
Cover versions
South African singer Snotkop translated the song into Afrikaans as "Kry jou ass by die werk" (radio edit titled "Kry jouself by die werk").
References
Category:The Offspring songs
Category:1998 songs
Category:1999 singles
Category:Columbia Records singles
Category:Music videos directed by McG
Category:Number-one singles in Scotland
Category:Ska punk songs
Category:Songs written by Dexter Holland
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