Anybody who refuses to admit that Koji Kondo’s Super Mario Bros. theme song is an iconic piece of music is just stubborn, but after hearing what’s been making the rounds recently, it’s possible that they are right. Believe it or not, the song actually has lyrics, and they’re… it’s clear why they don’t pop up that often. The song wasn’t written with lyrics, but after seeing lyrics submitted as a contest held by a Japanese radio station, Nintendo was (for some reason) enamored by them, and they released the song on vinyl in 1985. Give it a listen:

The song is absolutely goofy in its original state, but just wait until you hear it in English. The song pretty much ended there in terms of Nintendo’s official involvement, but fans never let anything die, so covers have been recorded, including a live performance from 2003 by the Mario & Zelda Big Band. The song has also been translated to English, and it starts out very strong: “Today, full of energy, Mario is still running, running / Go save Princess Peach! Go! / Today, full of energy, Mario runs / Today, full of energy, jumping! / Today, full of energy, searching for coins / Today, keep going, Mario!”

At the very least, the alternate theme song is a fascinating part of the gaming giant’s history, and alongside the Virtual Boy and their ill-fated Mario movie, proof that not everything they touch is a good idea. Read the English lyrics below:

“Today, full of energy, Mario is still running, running Go save Princess Peach! Go! Today, full of energy, Mario runs Today, full of energy, jumping! Today, full of energy, searching for coins Today, keep going, Mario!

Get a mushroom – it’s Super Mario! Get a flower – it’s Fire Mario!

Goomba! Troopa! Buzzy Beetle! Beat them all! Mario is always full of energy and strong!

[Spoken] The only one who can reverse the spell that has captured the Mushroom People is Princess Peach. But Princess Peach is hidden underground, in a far-off castle. Ah, the days of peace … if we could once more return to those days … to save Princess Peach and bring peace back to the Mushroom Kingdom, that is why Mario is on his journey today.

Today, full of energy, Mario is still running, running Go and beat the Koopa tribe, go! Today, full of energy, Mario runs Today, full of energy, jumping! Today, full of energy, searching for coins Today, keep going, Mario!

Get a star – become invincible! Quickly, go save Princess Peach!

Lakitu! Blooper! Cheep Cheep! Beat them all! Mario is always full of energy and strong!

Today, full of energy, Mario is still running, running He’s made it to the castle and gets fireworks! Lightly sidestepping the Hammer Bros. Show the last of your power, Mario! It’s been a long journey but it’s nearly at an end You’ve done it, you’ve done it! You’ve defeated Bowser!

Princess Peach says, ‘Thank you’ Mario’s got a great big heart!

Mario’s adventure is over for now, but Mario’s dream lives forever…”

— HT: Consequence of Sound

Featured Image: Nintendo