Studio Album · No. 5

Americana Songwriting Credits by The Offspring

1998 Columbia Records 13 tracks 43 min

Produced by Dave Jerden  ·  Engineered by Bryan Carlstrom, Annette Cisneros, Eddy Schreyer

Columbia Records Punk RockSkate PunkPop Punk
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 13 of 13 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 13 / 13 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether The Offspring carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
13 trackswritten by The Offspring 0 tracksoutside writers
The Offspring's roles on this album

Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

13
Tracks
2
Lyricists
1
Producers
10 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1998
Released
Data Insight

Dexter Holland wrote nearly all of Americana, channeling satirical observations of late-1990s American culture into the band's biggest commercial breakthrough. Producer Dave Jerden, who had shaped the band's prior record Ixnay on the Hombre, returned to give the songs a polished but aggressive sheen. Holland's writing on tracks like 'Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)' and 'Why Don't You Get a Job?' leaned into novelty hooks and humor while keeping the skate-punk foundation intact.

Dave Jerden produced Americana at Eldorado Recording in Burbank across the summer of 1998, his second and last album with the band. It entered the Billboard 200 at number two on 198,000 copies, still the highest chart position any Offspring album has managed, and has sold more than ten million worldwide, behind only Smash. 'Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)' and 'Why Don't You Get a Job?' put the band on Top 40 radio in a way the punk records never had, and the tour behind it included Woodstock '99. The one song here that is not Dexter Holland's own is 'Feelings,' a deadpan parody of Morris Albert's 1975 hit sung over the original melody.

Track Listing & Credits 13 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Welcome
Dexter Holland Bryan Keith Holland Dave Jerden Dexter Holland (Lead Vocals)
2
Have You Ever
Dexter Holland Bryan Keith Holland Dave Jerden Dexter Holland (Lead Vocals)
3
Staring at the Sun
Dexter Holland Bryan Keith Holland Dave Jerden Dexter Holland (Lead Vocals)
4
Pretty Fly (For a White Guy) #53
Dexter Holland Bryan Keith HollandJoe ElliottSteve ClarkRobert John Lange Dave Jerden Dexter Holland (Lead Vocals)
5
The Kids Aren't Alright #6
Dexter Holland Bryan Keith Holland Dave Jerden Dexter Holland (Lead Vocals)
6
Feelings
Dexter HollandMorris Albert Bryan Keith HollandMaurício Alberto KaisermannLouis Felix-Marie Gaste Dave Jerden Dexter Holland (Lead Vocals)
7
She's Got Issues
Dexter Holland Bryan Keith Holland Dave Jerden Dexter Holland (Lead Vocals)
8
Walla Walla
Dexter Holland Bryan Keith Holland Dave Jerden Dexter Holland (Lead Vocals)
9
The End of the Line
Dexter Holland Bryan Keith Holland Dave Jerden Dexter Holland (Lead Vocals)
10
No Brakes
Dexter Holland Bryan Keith Holland Dave Jerden Dexter Holland (Lead Vocals)
11
Why Don't You Get a Job? #74
Dexter Holland Bryan Keith Holland Dave Jerden Dexter Holland (Lead Vocals)
12
Americana
Dexter Holland Bryan Keith Holland Dave Jerden Dexter Holland (Lead Vocals)
13
Pay the Man
Dexter Holland Bryan Keith Holland Dave Jerden Dexter Holland (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 9 contributors

BK
Bryan Keith Holland
Writer
On this album13 written
DH
Dexter Holland
Writer · Vocals
On this album13 written
JE
Joe Elliott
Writer
On this album1 written
LF
Louis Felix-Marie Gaste
Writer
On this album1 written
MA
Maurício Alberto Kaisermann
Writer
On this album1 written
MA
Morris Albert
Writer
On this album1 written
RJ
Robert John Lange
Writer
On this album1 written
SC
Steve Clark
Writer
On this album1 written
DJ
Dave Jerden
Producer
On this album13 produced

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Frequently Asked Questions Americana

Who produced Americana by The Offspring?
Dave Jerden produced Americana. He had also produced the band's previous album, Ixnay on the Hombre, in 1997. Americana was released by Columbia Records on November 17, 1998.
How well did Americana sell?
Americana sold over 10 million copies worldwide, making it The Offspring's best-selling album. In the United States it was certified 5x Platinum by the RIAA. It peaked at number 2 on the Billboard 200.
Who wrote the songs on Americana?
Lead vocalist Dexter Holland wrote nearly all of the songs on Americana. His lyrics on the album frequently satirized American pop culture and suburban life. This songwriting approach drove hits like 'Pretty Fly (for a White Guy).'
How high did Pretty Fly (for a White Guy) chart?
'Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)' peaked at number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100. It performed far stronger on rock radio, reaching number 3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It was the album's lead single.
Did The Kids Aren't Alright chart on the Hot 100?
'The Kids Aren't Alright' did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, though it reached number 5 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. On rock radio it peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart. It remains one of the band's most enduring songs.
What genre is Americana?
Americana is a punk rock album with strong skate punk and pop punk elements. The record balances fast, aggressive punk songs with the radio-friendly novelty hooks of its biggest singles. It was a defining late-1990s mainstream punk release.
What was the second single from Americana?
'Why Don't You Get a Job?' was the second single from Americana. It peaked at number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 4 on the Alternative Airplay chart. Dexter Holland wrote the song, which features a brass arrangement.

Sources

Wikipedia: Americana (The Offspring album) Wikipedia: Pretty Fly (for a White Guy) Wikipedia: Why Don't You Get a Job? Wikipedia: The Kids Aren't Alright (The Offspring song) MusicBrainz release group Cover Art Archive front cover Cover Art Archive: Americana by The Offspring