Why Don't You Get a Job?
single
CoverTheOffspringWDYGAJ.jpg
Artistthe Offspring
AlbumAmericana
B-sideBeheaded (1999)
ReleasedMarch 15, 1999
Genre
Length2:51
LabelColumbia
WriterDexter Holland
ProducerDave Jerden[3]
Prev year1998
Next year1999

"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 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).[4][5][6]

Music video

The music video, directed by McG,[7] was shot on the backlot of Universal Studios Hollywood. Lead singer Dexter Holland hang-glides 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

Part 2

Later version

Personnel

The Offspring

Additional musicians

  • Gabrial McNair – horn
  • Álvaro Macías – vihuela
  • Phil Jordan – horn
  • Carlos Gómez – guitar
  • Derrick Davis – flute

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1999)Peak
position
Argentina[8]3
Denmark (Hitlisten)[9]13
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[10]6
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[11]14
Greece (IFPI)[12]10
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[13]2
Italy (Musica e dischi)[14]12
Latvia (Latvijas Top 40)[15]2
Lithuania (M-1)[16]1
Quebec Airplay (ADISQ)[17]13
Scandinavia Airplay (Music & Media)[18]15
Chart (2017)Peak
position

Year-end charts

Chart (1999)Position
Australia (ARIA)[19]9
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[20]94
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[21]95
Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[22]29
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[23]85
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[24]57
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[25]46
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[26]27
Sweden (Hitlistan)[27]11
UK Singles (OCC)[28]117
US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)[29]38
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[30]91
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[29]14

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesJanuary 25, 1999Active rock radioColumbia[31]
AustraliaMarch 15, 1999CD[32]
United StatesMarch 23, 1999Contemporary hit radio[33]
EuropeMarch 30, 1999CD[34]
United KingdomApril 26, 1999CD · cassette[35]
JapanJune 19, 1999CDEpic[36]

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"[37] (radio edit titled "Kry jouself by die werk").

References

  1. ^ "The Offspring and Sum 41 rock the SOEC". Kelowna Capital News. December 2, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2026. The Offspring was also sure to keep things light, playing their pop-punk favorites such as Why Don’t You Get a Job and Pretty Fly for a White Guy...
  2. ^ Steel, Andrew (December 1, 2021). "Gig review: The Offspring at First Direct Arena, Leeds". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved February 26, 2026. The ska-punk singalong of Why Don’t You Get a Job? sits surprisingly seamlessly into a protracted instrumental jam around Edvard Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King...
  3. ^ "The Offspring – Why Don't You Get a Job? [US]". Allmusic. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  4. ^ Geoff Boucher (April 24, 1999). "Is the Song an Offspring". LA Times. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  5. ^ Teri vanHorn (May 6, 1999). "Offspring Song Has A Familiar Ring, Beatles Fans Say". MTV.com. Archived from the original on June 13, 2014. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  6. ^ Richard Harrington (January 13, 1999). "Punk With Spunk". Washington Post. Archived October 9, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 16, 2015. Alt URL
  7. ^ "Production Notes". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 2. January 9, 1999. p. 71.
  8. ^ Argentina Airplay Charts Archive
  9. ^ Danish Charts Archive. 21 May 1999.
  10. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 20. May 15, 1999. p. 10. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
  11. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "The Offspring". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 188. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  12. ^ "Top National Sellers". Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 24. June 12, 1999. p. 10. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  13. ^ "Íslenski Listinn (16.4–23.4. 1999)" (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir. April 16, 1999. p. 10. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  14. ^ "Hits of the World – Italy". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 23. June 5, 1999. p. 94. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  15. ^ "Latvian Airplay Top 197 of 1999" (in Latvian). Lanet.lv. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  16. ^ "M-1 TOP 40". M-1.fm. 18 July 1999. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  17. ^ "Palmarès de la chanson anglophone et allophone au Québec" (in French). BAnQ. Archived from the original on November 29, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  18. ^ "Major Market Airplay: Scandinavia". Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 51. 15 May 1999. p. 23. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  19. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1999". ARIA. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
  20. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1999" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  21. ^ "Rapports annuels 1999" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  22. ^ "RPM 1999 Top 50 Rock Tracks". RPM. Retrieved May 16, 2018. – via Library and Archives Canada
  23. ^ "Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1999". Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 1. January 1, 2000. p. 11. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
  24. ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1999". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  25. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1999" (in Dutch). Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  26. ^ "Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 1999" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on January 22, 2005.
  27. ^ "Årslista Singlar, 1999" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  28. ^ Zywietz, Tobias (November 2000). "The Top 200 Singles of 1999". Chartwatch. pp. 41–42. Retrieved August 2, 2025. – via Zobbel.
  29. ^ "1999 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52. December 25, 1999. p. YE-90. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  30. ^ "Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 1999". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 54.
  31. ^ "Adds for January 25 & 26". Gavin Report. No. 2239. January 22, 1999. p. 36.
  32. ^ "Offspring Why Don't You Get a Job Australian CD single (CD5 / 5")". eil.com. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  33. ^ "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1291. March 19, 1999. p. 37.
  34. ^ ger
  35. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 26 April, 1999: Singles". Music Week. April 24, 1999. p. 27.
  36. ^ "オフスプリング" [Offspring]. Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Archived January 29, 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  37. ^ "Interview: Snotkop". www.channel24.co.za. Retrieved January 7, 2014.