The Offspring’s “Why don’t you get a Job?” sounds like The Beatles’ “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”

The Beatles’ released “Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da” partly as a tribute to reggae’s growing popularity in Britain during 1968. The Offspring released “Why don’t you get a Job?” as a ska/punk tune from their 1998 album ‘Americana’.

I see the Offspring tune “Why Don’t You Get A Job?” more as a tribute to the Beatles’ hit than as a ripoff. The song is clearly inspired by the vocal melody. It’s even in the same key CORRECTION: Lord Zall has informed me that the Beatles tune is in B-Flat, and the Offspring’s tune is in F-natural. The Offspring made such a little attempt to change the song that I see “Why don’t you get a Job?” as a humble nod to their musical superiors, The Beatles.

Since these songs are the same key and similar tempo, this sound-a-like is the perfect candidate for a Sounds Just Like first: Mashup! Listen to the second audio sample to hear The Offspring and The Beatles mashed together.

“Why don’t you get a Job?” was released as the second single from Americana, right after “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)”. I can understand the view that this was a dishonorable move by The Offspring. What do you think?

Popularity: 80% [?]

Related Sound-A-Likes:

1. Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” sounds like the Jayhawk’s “Waiting for the Sun”
2. The Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ USA” sounds like Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen”
3. The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony sounds like the Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time”