5 Examples Of Musical Déjà Vu

2. The Offspring's "Why Don't You Get a Job" vs. The Beatles' "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR6A-Bk9eZQ Without exception, The Offspring's "Americana" is their most overrated (and commercial) album. It was more pop than punk, and the big hit off the record, "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)," was more of a joke song, but even that track wasn't as treasonous as "Why Don't You Get a Job." When I first heard the chorus, I assumed it was a sly wink to The Beatles' "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," better known as "Life Goes On," but when I looked in the album's liner notes to see the traditional "McCartney/Lennon" stamp in the writing credits, it was nowhere to be found. Compare: "I won't pay, I won't pay ya/No waaay/Na na, why don't you get a job?" with "Ob-la-di, ob-la-da/Life goes on, brah!/La la, how the life goes on." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LedUjMuTR7Q Offspring even added the nonsensical "Na na" to get the lyrics to fit the original melody of the Beatles tune. The song became a hit, and soon the members of the band were in the uncomfortable position of having to explain themselves. In an interview, Offspring guitarist Dexter Holland admitted, "It was just one of those things where we were subconsciously influenced by that song and wrote it into the music." Fair enough, but give credit where credit is due. Sir Paul (or, more accurately, the aforementioned Michael Jackson, since his estate owns the rights to most of the Beatles catalog) is still waiting for his royalty payments.