Original Prankster
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"Original Prankster" is a song by American rock band the Offspring. It is featured as the third track from their sixth studio album, Conspiracy of One, and was released to radio as its first single on October 10, 2000. The song features additional vocals by Redman and is included on the band's 2005 Greatest Hits album.
Prior to the release of Conspiracy of One, The Offspring distributed the track for free as a downloadable MP3 file on their official website. A competition was held, featuring a prize of $1 million (USD), which was awarded to a randomly selected participant who downloaded the song.
"Original Prankster" reached the top 10 in several countries, including Australia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and went to the top 10 on the US and Canadian rock charts. The single went Platinum in Australia in 2001, becoming the third song by The Offspring to reach Platinum status in that country after "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" and "Why Don't You Get a Job?."
Music video
The song follows the prankster, the subject of the song, through his life, pulling various pranks on his superiors, being motivated by Redman as a spiritual guide. As a child, he slips his dog's feces into his father's sandwich. In his teen years, he uses a bunsen burner on a perverted science teacher. When sent to the principal's office, he sets up the principal to be photographed in a compromising position with two students. Throughout the video, the band is shown to be playing around the Venice Fishing Pier in Venice, Los Angeles.
Finally, in the present, he switches off the whole city's power supply, though the band still manages to play in the dark and the crowd use flares to light the scene. At the end of the video, lightning strikes the prankster and disintegrates him.
Track listings
Version 1
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Original Prankster" | 3:40 |
| 2. | "Come Out Swinging" | 2:47 |
| 3. | "Staring at the Sun" (Live) | 2:26 |
Australia CD Maxi
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Original Prankster" | 3:40 |
| 2. | "Dammit, I Changed Again" | 2:49 |
| 3. | "Come Out Swinging" | 2:47 |
| 4. | "Gone Away" (Live) | 4:19 |
| 5. | "Staring at the Sun" (Live) | 2:26 |
Promo CD
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Original Prankster" (Album version) | 3:40 |
Personnel
The Offspring
- Dexter Holland – vocals, guitar
- Noodles – guitar
- Greg K. – bass
- Ron Welty – drums
Additional musicians
- Redman – additional vocals
Charts
| Chart (2000–2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Original Prankster" Chart (2000–2001) Peak position Australia (ARIA) 5 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) 6 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 40 Canada (Nielsen Soundscan) 29 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM) 5 El Salvador (El Siglo de Torreón) 3 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 14 European Radio Top 50 (Music & Media) 22 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) 12 France (SNEP) 34 Germany (GfK) 46 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) 19 Ireland (IRMA) 24 Italy (FIMI) 11 Italy Airplay (Music & Media) 11 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 35 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 44 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 34 Norway (VG-lista) 7 Portugal (AFP) 6 Quebec (ADISQ) 3 Scotland Singles (OCC) 6 Spain Airplay (Music & Media) 11 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 5 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 20 UK Singles (OCC) 6 US Billboard Hot 100 70 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard) 2 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard) 7 | Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Original Prankster" Chart (2000) Position Australia (ARIA) 93 Italy (Musica e dischi) 100 Sweden (Hitlistan) 52 UK Singles (OCC) 194 US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard) 98 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard) 72 Chart (2001) Position Australia (ARIA) 68 Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) 193 US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard) 47 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard) 60 |
| Australia (ARIA) | 5 |
| Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) | 6 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) | 40 |
| Canada (Nielsen Soundscan) | 29 |
| Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM) | 5 |
| El Salvador (El Siglo de Torreón) | 3 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | 14 |
| European Radio Top 50 (Music & Media) | 22 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) | 12 |
| France (SNEP) | 34 |
| Germany (GfK) | 46 |
| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) | 19 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 24 |
| Italy (FIMI) | 11 |
| Italy Airplay (Music & Media) | 11 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 35 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 44 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 34 |
| Norway (VG-lista) | 7 |
| Portugal (AFP) | 6 |
| Quebec (ADISQ) | 3 |
| Scotland Singles (OCC) | 6 |
| Spain Airplay (Music & Media) | 11 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 5 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 20 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 6 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 70 |
| US Alternative Airplay (Billboard) | 2 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard) | 7 |
| Chart (2000) | Position |
| Australia (ARIA) | 93 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi) | 100 |
| Sweden (Hitlistan) | 52 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 194 |
| US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard) | 98 |
| US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard) | 72 |
| Chart (2001) | Position |
| Australia (ARIA) | 68 |
| Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) | 193 |
| US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard) | 47 |
| US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard) | 60 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | Platinum | 70,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | October 10, 2000 | Mainstream rockactive rock radio | Columbia | |
| Japan | October 25, 2000 | CD | Epic | |
| United Kingdom | November 6, 2000 | CDcassette | Columbia | |
| United States | November 14, 2000 | Contemporary hit radio | ||
| New Zealand | November 27, 2000 | CD |