[Intro] Long, long ago In old Japan There was a funny little saying About a monkey and a man They said a monkey Had three more hairs Than a man Well, if three little hairs Could make that difference Becoming human Would be pretty easy then! I don't know Who said it first But the joke Has stayed around for years [Verse 1] Some say it's kindness Some say it's charm Some say it's knowing Right from wrong A little compassion A little style A little something To make us smile Three little hairs With different names People kept adding Their own explanations Drawing a line Between monkey and man Giving a name To whatever was missing We've been doing that For a very long time [Pre-Chorus] But hey! Wait a minute! Were those missing things Really hairs? In Japanese Hair is called "Ke" But change that sound Just a little bit What if "Ke" Became "Ki"? [Chorus] Three missing hairs On a man's head? Maybe three kinds Of "Ki" instead! First comes Yūki The courage to see A different answer And let it be It takes some courage To open your mind And welcome a truth That's not like mine Second comes Genki The energy to grow Nothing gets nurtured By waiting alone Get up and move Give life a hand Help something grow And understand Third comes Konki The patience to stay Planting a seed And giving it days Put down your roots And take your time You can't make tomorrow Arrive tonight [Verse 2] And when I thought About a woman's body There's something there That made me see A womb can welcome A life to grow Nurture and carry it Till it's time to go To welcome To nurture To wait for the day Three little actions Of life finding its way That doesn't mean Women are better than men Or that men Can't do the same I was just playing With an old little phrase And suddenly I saw it another way Three missing hairs Began looking like "Ki" [Pre-Chorus 2] It takes Yūki To welcome what's new It takes Genki To help something through It takes Konki To give roots time to grow Ha ha ha! Hey, monkey man! Now I think I know! Maybe those hairs Were never the key Maybe we're looking For three little trees! [Chorus 2] A tree of Yūki Courage to receive A tree of Genki Energy to grow A tree of Konki Patience down below Three little trees Standing side by side Is that what makes us human? Oh, come on! Women are human And men are monkeys? Ha ha! That's a funny old story! Don't take it too seriously Let's just turn it around Three missing hairs With a brand-new sound [Bridge] Yūki! Genki! Konki! Courage! Energy! Patience! Put them together And suddenly I see Every little word Has a little "Ki" Yesterday counted Three little "Ke" Today we're counting Three kinds of "Ki" And "Ki" can also mean A tree in Japanese From hair to spirit From spirit to trees One little sound And a world of possibilities Round and round The meanings go Funny what a word Can grow into! [Final Chorus] Three missing hairs That's how it began A silly old joke About a monkey and a man But courage to welcome And energy to grow And patience to wait For the roots down below Three little kinds Of beautiful "Ki" Maybe they're things We all really need I went looking for Three hairs on a monkey But found three things That were missing in me Instead of counting What's missing in you I'll grow the three things I can grow in me too Courage and energy Patience each day Three little seeds To nurture my way Maybe the answer Was never the hair The three kinds of "Ki" Were waiting right there [Outro] Yūki Genki Konki Women are human And men are monkeys? Really? Ha ha ha! Well... I guess the hair Can stay right there!
