For decades, we’ve been smashing bricks, collecting mushrooms, and dodging treacherous castle traps to the tune of the Mario Bros. theme song, a number so catchy and whimsical it always makes us forget we’ve been staring at a screen, hair a greasy mess, in pajamas for days at a time. After all these years, we likely could hum it without hesitation, and claim to know the ditty front to back, right?

Well, not so fast there. Here’s a bit of trivia that may just rock your Mario world: The original video game theme song actually has lyrics.



These official lyrics — which include lines like “Go Go Mario!” and “Today, full of energy, Mario is still running, running. Go save Princess Peach! Go!” — date back to 1985, when a Japanese radio station encouraged super fans to submit their own. One particular set of lyrics caught the eye of Nintendo, and the gaming company not only endorsed it, but released a recorded version of it on vinyl.

The words, which are in Japanese and seem to be just as silly as the music itself, never made it into the games themselves, but that hasn’t stopped folks from covering the song and bringing it to real life. In 2003, the Mario & Zelda Big Band (which is exactly what it sounds like) performed it live in Tokyo. As you can imagine, it was a pretty surreal sight:

Below, check out a full translation of the lyrics in all their strange, strange glory.

“Go Go Mario

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…”