Original Prankster

"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 as its first single on October 10, 2000. The song features additional vocals by Redman^[1] and is included on the band's 2005 Greatest Hits album.

"Original Prankster"
Single by the Offspring featuring Redman
from the album Conspiracy of One
B-side	"Come Out Swinging"
Released	October 10, 2000 (2000-10-10)
Genre	Punk rock
Length	3:40
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Dexter Holland
Producer(s)	Brendan O'Brien
The Offspring singles chronology
"She's Got Issues" (1999) "Original Prankster" (2000) "Want You Bad" (2000)
Music video
"Original Prankster" on YouTube

Prior to the release of Conspiracy of One, The Offspring distributed the track for free as a downloadable MP3 file on their official website.^[2] 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?."^[3]

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.^[1] 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 Huntington Beach Pier in their hometown Huntington Beach, California.

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 – lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar
• Noodles – lead guitar, backing vocals
• Greg K. – bass, backing vocals
• Ron Welty – drums

Additional musicians

• Redman – additional vocals

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2000–2001) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[4] 5 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[5] 6 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[6] 40 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[7] 5 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[8] 14 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[9] 12 France (SNEP)[10] 34 Germany (GfK)[11] 46 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[12] 19 Ireland (IRMA)[13] 24 Italy (FIMI)[14] 11 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] 35 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 44 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 34 Norway (VG-lista)[18] 7 Portugal (AFP)[19] 6 Scotland (OCC)[20] 6 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[21] 5 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[22] 20 UK Singles (OCC)[23] 6 US Billboard Hot 100[24] 70 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[25] 2 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[26] 7

Year-end charts Chart (2000) Position Australia (ARIA)[27] 93 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[28] 52 US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)[29] 98 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[30] 72 Chart (2001) Position Australia (ARIA)[31] 68 Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[32] 193 US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)[33] 47 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[34] 60

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[35]	Platinum	70,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[36]	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 rock active rock radio	Columbia	[37]
Japan	October 25, 2000	CD	Epic	[38]
United Kingdom	November 6, 2000	CD cassette	Columbia	[39]
United States	November 14, 2000	Contemporary hit radio		[40][41]
New Zealand	November 27, 2000	CD		[42]

References

1. "Redman". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
2. Menta, Robert (September 26, 2000). "Sony Forces The Offspring to Cancel MP3 Giveaway". MP3 Newswire. Archived from the original on November 8, 2008. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
3. "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 1999 Singles". ARIA. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
4. "The Offspring – Original Prankster". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
5. "The Offspring – Original Prankster" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
6. "The Offspring – Original Prankster" (in French). Ultratop 50.
7. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 7280." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
8. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 48. November 25, 2000. p. 15. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
9. "The Offspring: Original Prankster" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
10. "The Offspring – Original Prankster" (in French). Les classement single.
11. "The Offspring – Original Prankster" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
12. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 20 (22.12–29.12 2000)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). December 22, 2000. p. 12. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
13. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Original Prankster". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
14. "The Offspring – Original Prankster". Top Digital Download.
15. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 50, 2000" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
16. "The Offspring – Original Prankster" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
17. "The Offspring – Original Prankster". Top 40 Singles.
18. "The Offspring – Original Prankster". VG-lista.
19. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 48. November 25, 2000. p. 15. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
20. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
21. "The Offspring – Original Prankster". Singles Top 100.
22. "The Offspring – Original Prankster". Swiss Singles Chart.
23. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
24. "The Offspring Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
25. "The Offspring Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
26. "The Offspring Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
27. "2000 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
28. "Årslista Singlar, 2000" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
29. "Most Played Mainstream Rock Songs of 2000". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 33.
30. "Most Played Modern Rock Songs of 2000". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 38.
31. "2001 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
32. "Canada's Top 200 Singles of 2001". Jam!. Archived from the original on July 26, 2002. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
33. "America's Best: 2001 – Most-Played Mainstream Rock". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 9, no. 51. December 21, 2001. p. 45.
34. "Most-Played Modern Rock Songs of 2001". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 9, no. 51. December 21, 2001. p. 40.
35. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
36. "British single certifications – Offspring – Original Prankster". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
37. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1372. October 6, 2000. pp. 109, 114. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
38. "オフスプリング" [Offspring]. Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Archived from the original on January 29, 2007. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
39. "New Releases – For Week Starting November 6, 2000: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. November 4, 2000. p. 29. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
40. "CHR/Pop: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1376. November 10, 2000. p. 60.
41. "Gavin Top 40/Rhythm Crossover: Impact Dates". Gavin Report. No. 2329. November 3, 2000. p. 7.
42. "New Releases". netcd.co.nz. November 27, 2000. Archived from the original on December 1, 2000. Retrieved November 8, 2023.