Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)

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"Give it to me baby" redirects here. For the song by Rick James, see Give It to Me Baby.
"Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)"
File:TheOffspringPrettyFlyforaWhiteGuy.jpg
Standard artwork
Single by the Offspring
from the album Americana
B-side
Released November 9, 1998 (1998-11-09)
Genre
Length 3:07
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Dave Jerden
Script error: The function "ucfirst" does not exist. singles chronology
"I Choose"
(1997)		 "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)"
(1998)		 "Why Don't You Get a Job?"
(1999)
Music video
"Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" on YouTube

"Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" is a song by American rock band the Offspring. It is the fourth track from the band's fifth studio album, Americana (1998), and was released as its first single in November 1998. The song peaked at number 53 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number five on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and number three on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It was successful internationally, reaching number one in 10 countries, including Australia, where it stayed at number one for six weeks and was certified quadruple platinum.

The song appears as the seventh track on the Offspring's 2005 Greatest Hits album. It was parodied by Weird Al Yankovic in "Pretty Fly for a Rabbi".

Composition and lyrics

Beginning with a sample of the pseudo-German nonsense phrase "Gunter glieben glauchen globen" from Def Leppard's 1983 song "Rock of Ages", chanted as a replacement for the traditional "1, 2, 3, 4" to start the recording, the song ridicules a "wannabe gangsta" who is immersed in hip-hop culture, not because he truly loves or understands it but because it is trendy, makes him feel tough ("Friends say he's tryin' too hard, and he's not quite hip/But in his own mind, he's the, he's the dopest trip") and because he believes it attracts women ("and all the girlies say I'm pretty fly, for a white guy"). The “Give it to me baby” verse was done by voice actress Nika Futterman.[5]

As summed up by Dexter Holland, the people described in the lyrics "are from, like, Omaha, Nebraska, regular white-bread boys, but who act like they're from Compton. It's so fake and obvious that they're trying to have an identity."[6] Holland detailed that he meets many teenagers like those in his native Orange County, "going to the mall, where they buy FUBU, Tommy Hilfiger, and Ice Cube's latest record."[7] Given rap culture is the starting point, Holland clarified that it was not an attack on African-Americans, but "poseurs of any kind",[8] but without wanting "to be preachy about it... We're getting amusement out of it more than anything else."[9] When asked about the musical similarities with the Offspring's previous hit "Come Out and Play", Holland said he expected comparisons but added that the band attempted to "take it further than ‘Come Out and Play’", with a particular focus on more percussion.[10]

Critical reception

Daily Record commented that on "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)", the band "has obviously been inspired by early-Beastie Boys and Run DMC songs."[11] In Australia, it was ranked at number one on the Triple J Hottest 100 of 1998.[12]

Music video

The music video for the song, directed by McG, begins with the "white guy" and some girls singing the opening lines, and Offspring guitarist Noodles walking on the pavement with his guitar, playing the introductory riff. The "white guy" drives through town in his lowrider and tries to act cool in front of African-Americans, playing with his car's hydraulic system and interrupting a break dance session to dance himself. He is then carried by a group of girls to a pool party and thrown into the pool. He jumps out of the pool and finds some bikini clad dancers in front of him. These scenes are cut with the band playing. The video ends with the "white guy" returning home and scaring his little sister, who is wearing a fairy costume, because of his dishevelled appearance.

According to Dexter Holland, the band wanted Seth Green to play the "white guy" but he was unavailable. After seeing an audition tape with "five unknowns", they settled on Israeli actor Guy Cohen,[13] who went on to cameo in the "Why Don't You Get a Job?" video and occasionally appear at Offspring concerts.[8]

DVD appearances

The music video also appears on the Complete Music Video Collection DVD. It was released in 2005. The DVD also contains a storyboard version of the video, in which the storyboard plays over top of the music video.

Track listings

US 7-inch single and UK cassette single[14][15][16]

No. Title Length
1. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)"   3:08
2. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (The Geek mix) 3:01

Australian CD single[17]

No. Title Length
1. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)"    
2. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (The Geek mix)  
3. "No Brakes"    

European CD single[18]

No. Title Length
1. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (album version) 3:08
2. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (The Geek mix) 3:07

UK CD1[19]

No. Title Length
1. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)"   3:08
2. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (The Baka Boyz remix) 3:01
3. "No Brakes"   2:02

UK CD2[20]

No. Title Length
1. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)"   3:08
2. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (The Geek mix) 3:01
3. "All I Want" (live) 2:02

Italian 12-inch single[21]

No. Title Length
1. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)"   3:08
2. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (The Geek mix) 3:07
3. "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (The Baka Boys remix) 3:01
4. "All I Want" (live) 2:02

Personnel

The Offspring

Additional musicians

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[71] 4× Platinum 280,000
Austria (IFPI Austria)[72] Gold 25,000
Belgium (BEA)[73] Platinum 50,000
France (SNEP)[74] Gold 250,000
Germany (BVMI)[75] Gold 250,000
Italy (FIMI)[76] Gold 25,000
Netherlands (NVPI)[77] Gold 50,000
Norway (IFPI Norway)[78] 2× Platinum  
Sweden (GLF)[79] 3× Platinum 90,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[80] Platinum 600,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone
double-daggersales/streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States October 6, 1998
Columbia [81]
Europe November 9, 1998 CD [33]
United States November 17, 1998 Contemporary hit radio [82]
United Kingdom January 18, 1999
  • CD
  • cassette
 [83]

Legacy

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Dexter Holland's Americana Tour
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ "Chart Slot". Daily Record. February 12, 1999. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – The Offspring – Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  23. ↑
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  24. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – The Offspring – Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  25. ↑ "Ultratop.be – The Offspring – Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  26. ↑ "Ultratop.be – The Offspring – Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  27. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6994." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  28. ↑ Billboard - Google Books. Books.google.ca (February 27, 1999). Retrieved on April 1, 2014.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ "The Offspring: Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  32. ↑ "Lescharts.com – The Offspring – Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (in French). Les classement single.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 "Musicline.de – The Offspring Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)". Irish Singles Chart.
  37. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 4, 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40
  38. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Offspring – Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  39. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – The Offspring – Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)". VG-lista.
  40. ↑ "Archive Chart: 19990131". Scottish Singles Top 40.
  41. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – The Offspring – Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)". Singles Top 100.
  42. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – The Offspring – Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)". Swiss Singles Chart.
  43. ↑ "Archive Chart: 19990124" UK Singles Chart.
  44. ↑ "The Offspring – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for The Offspring.
  45. ↑ "The Offspring – Chart history" Billboard Alternative Songs for The Offspring.
  46. ↑ "The Offspring – Chart history" Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs for The Offspring.
  47. ↑ "The Offspring – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for The Offspring.
  48. ↑ "The Offspring – Chart history" Billboard Rhythmic Songs for The Offspring.
  49. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  50. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  71. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  72. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter The Offspring in the field Interpret. Enter Pretty Fly (for a White Guy) in the field Titel. Select single in the field Format. Click Suchen
  73. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  75. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  76. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Select Online in the field Sezione. Enter The Offspring in the field Filtra. Select 2017 in the field Anno. The certification will load automatically
  77. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  79. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  80. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter Pretty Fly (for a White Guy) in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
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  82. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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