Mostly forgotten in Japan itself, the parody song “Yatta” (by fictional group “Happatai”) remains much loved and imitated all over the world. This is my Smart.FM tribute to a music video that still makes my day at least a decade after I first saw it. :)
There are a couple of existing translations floating around on the internet. I generally prefer the first one, a seemingly anonymous text that uses only romaji, but which captures the blithe exuberance of the song wonderfully well. The second, which subtitles Happatai’s performance on Jimmy Kimmel, draws on the original and makes a couple of interesting assertions. However I’d suggest that there are some straight out mistranslations in both. Here, with some help from the lovely 旬子さん, I’m making an all new translation ™ that draws on both but makes some corrections and modifications (or perhaps disastrous mistakes).
My god, to come out with a new translation now is so exciting.
Please feel free to suggest translation modifications, and point out errors etc.
わあい＼(^▽^＼)(/^▽^)/わあいっ
Creator:
gavinschultz
Intermediate
46
78
26
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やった！（葉っぱ隊）
YATTA! (Happa-tai)
We did it! (Leaf Team)
G… R… Double-E, N… Leaves!
G… R… Double-E, N… Leaves!
It’s so easy! Happy-go-lucky!
We are the world! We did it!
ひゅう！ひゅう！ひゅう！ひゅう！おす！おす！おす！おす！あい！
Hyuu! Hyuu! Hyuu! Hyuu! Osu! Osu! Osu! Osu! Ai!
Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! Oi! Oi! Oi! Oi! Ai!
やった！やった！大学合格！
Yatta! Yatta! Daigaku goukaku!
We did it! We did it! Got into university!
やった！やった！社長就任！
Yatta! Yatta! Shachou shuunin!
We did it! We did it! Made company president!
はっぱ一枚あればいい。生きているからＬＵＣＫＹだ！
Happa ichimai areba ii. Ikite iru kara lucky da!
So long as we’ve one leaf we’re great. We’re lucky just ‘cause we’re alive!
やった！やった！当選確実！
Yatta! Yatta! Tousen kakujitsu!
We did it! We did it! Gonna win the prize!
やった！やった！日本代表！
Yatta! Yatta! Nihon daihyou!
We did it! We did it! Representing Japan!
やんなるぐらいけんこうだ！Everybody say ”やった!”
Yannaru gurai kenkou da. Everybody say “yatta!”
We’re so healthy it makes ya sick. Everybody say, “we did it!”
日本きゅうきゅう。でも！明日はワンダホー。
Nippon kyuukyuu. Demo! Ashita wa wandahou.
Japan’s in trouble. But! Tomorrow is wonderful.
意地悪されても布団入れば．．．
Ijiwaru saretemo futon haireba…
Even if someone’s mean to us, if we just go to bed then…
ぐぅ！ぐぅ！ぐぅ！ぐぅ！パス！パス！パス！パス！
Gu! Gu! Gu! Gu! Pasu! Pasu! Pasu! Pasu! (Ohayo!)
Good! Good! Good! Good! Pass! Pass! Pass! Pass! (Morning!)
やった！やった！九時間睡眠！
Yatta! Yatta! Kujikan suimin!
We did it! We did it! Slept for nine hours!
やった！やった！寝起きでジャンプ！
Yatta! Yatta! Neokide jumpu!
We did it! We did it! Jumped out of bed!
どんないいことあるだろう。生きていたからＬＵＣＫＹだ！
Donna ii koto aru darou. Ikite ita kara lucky da!
What kind of great things are waiting for us? We’re lucky just ‘cause we’re alive!
やった！やった！君が変われば．．．
Yatta! Yatta! Kimi ga kawareba…
We did it! We did it! If you change…
やった！やった！世界も変わる！
Yatta! Yatta! Sekai mo kawaru!
We did it! We did it! Then the world changes too!
まるごしだから最強だ。まっすぐ立ったら．．．気持ちいい！
Marugoshi dakara saikyou da. Massugu tattara… kimochi ii!
We’re strongest because we’re unarmed. When we stand up straight… it feels great!
ひゅう！ひゅう！ひゅう！ひゅう！おす！おす！おす！おす！
Hyuu! Hyuu! Hyuu! Hyuu! Osu! Osu! Osu! Osu!
Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! Oi! Oi! Oi! Oi!
ひゅう！ひゅう！ひゅう！ひゅう！おす！おす！おす！おす！
Hyuu! Hyuu! Hyuu! Hyuu! Osu! Osu! Osu! Osu!
Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! Oi! Oi! Oi! Oi!
お水飲んだらうめー！（やった！）
Omizu nondara umee! (Yatta!)
＿When I drink water it’s so tasty! (We did it!)＿
日にあたったら．．．あったけー！（やった！）
Hi ni atattara attakee! (Yatta!)
When I get in the sun I feel toasty! (We did it!)
腹から笑ったらおもしれー！（やった！やった！）
Hara kara warattara omoshiree! (Yatta! Yatta!)
Havin’ a belly laugh’s fun! (We did it!)
犬飼ってみたらかわいい！（やった！）
Inukatte mitara kawaii! (Yatta!)
Try buying a dog – cute! (We did it!)
It’s so easy! Happy-go-lucky!
We are the world! We did it!
ひゅう！ひゅう！ひゅう！ひゅう！おす！おす！おす！おす！あい！
Hyuu! Hyuu! Hyuu! Hyuu! Osu! Osu! Osu! Osu! Ai!
Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! Oi! Oi! Oi! Oi! Ai!
すれ違いざま微笑みくれた
Surechigaizama hohoemi kureta
As we passed each other, she gave me a smile
二度と会えなくたっていい．．．君がいたからＬＵＣＫＹだ！
Nido to aenakutatte ii… kimi ga ita kara lucky da!
It’s okay if we never meet again… I’m just lucky you were there!
平成不況．．．政治不信．．．
Heisei fukyou… seiji fushin…
Economy in recession… no faith in government…
リセットさえすりゃ最高だ！みんないるから楽しい！
Reset sae surya saikou da! Minna iru kara tanoshii!
It’d be best if we hit “reset”! Since we’re all here it’s so much fun!
やった！やった！大学教授！
Yatta! Yatta! Daigaku kyouju!
We did it! We did it! Professor!
やった！やった！ムービースター！
Yatta! Yatta! Moobii sutaa!
We did it! We did it! Movie star!
はっぱ一枚あればいい。みんないっしょだ、ＨＡＰＰＹだ！
Happa ichimai areba ii. Minna issho da, happy da!
So long as we’ve one leaf we’re great. We’re all together, we’re happy!
やった！やった！息を吸える！
Yatta! Yatta! Iki wo sueru!
We did it! We did it! We can breathe in!
やった！やった！息を吐ける！
Yatta! Yatta! Iki wo hakeru!
We did it! We did it! We can breathe out!
やんなるぐらいけんこうだ！Everybody say ”やった!”
Yannaru gurai kenkou da. Everybody say “yatta!”
We’re so healthy it makes ya sick. Everybody say, “we did it!”
G… R… Double-E, N… Leaves!
G… R… Double-E, N… Leaves!
Bye-Q!