Flamingo – English Lyrics

• By: Kero Kero Bonito

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the colorful world of Kero Kero Bonito with 'Flamingo'! This song is a fantastic way to experience the intersection of English and Japanese pop culture. By listening, you can learn how simple, repetitive phrasing and a bright, upbeat tempo can convey joy and surrealism, making it a perfect entry point for those interested in the unique style of modern J-pop influenced music.

[English]

How many shrimps do you have to eat

Before you make your skin turn pink?

Eat too much and you'll get sick

Shrimps are pretty rich

なんであいつらはピンク？

動物園で思った ピンク

食べ物で そうなんだ

実は私はたらこが大好き

プラス エビ カニ 食べよう

ピンク色になるの

だからみんな違う色

人間って勘違いしてるよね

Black, white, green or blue

Show off your natural hue

Flamingo, oh oh oh-woah

If you're multicouloured that's cool too

You don't need to change

It's boring being the same

Flamingo, oh oh oh-woah

You're pretty either way

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
shrimp /ʃrɪmp/ B1	noun - a small, pink, edible crustacean
pink /pɪŋk/ A1	adjective - a pale red color
sick /sɪk/ A1	adjective - affected by physical or mental illness
rich /rɪtʃ/ A1	adjective - having a lot of money or containing a large amount of a particular ingredient
natural /ˈnætʃrəl/ A2	adjective - existing in or caused by nature; not made or caused by humankind
hue /hjuː/ C2	noun - a color or shade
flamingo /fləˈmɪŋɡoʊ/ B2	noun - a tall pink bird with long legs
multicoloured /ˈmʌltiˌkʌlərd/ B1	adjective - having many colors
cool /kuːl/ A1	adjective - fashionably attractive or impressive
change /tʃeɪndʒ/ A1	verb - to make or become different
boring /ˈbɔːrɪŋ/ A2	adjective - not interesting; tedious
human /ˈhjuːmən/ A2	noun - a person
misunderstand /ˌmɪsʌndərˈstænd/ B1	verb - to fail to interpret correctly
skin /skɪn/ A1	noun - the outer layer of tissue of a person or animal
eat /iːt/ A1	verb - to put food into the mouth and chew and swallow it

Key Grammar Structures

• How many shrimps do you have to eat

  ➔ Have to + verb

  ➔ "Have to" is used to express external obligation or necessity.

• Before you make your skin turn pink?

  ➔ Causative verb 'make' + object + base verb

  ➔ Using "make" to indicate forcing or causing someone/something to do an action.

• Eat too much and you'll get sick

  ➔ Imperative + and + will (Future prediction)

  ➔ This construction functions as a conditional: 'If you eat too much, you will get sick'.

• 実は私はたらこが大好き

  ➔ Adverb + Topic marker 'wa' + Subject + Object + 'daisuki' (predicate)

  ➔ Using "実は" (jitsu wa) to introduce a fact or secret; 'daisuki' expresses strong preference.

• 人間って勘違いしてるよね

  ➔ Colloquial 'tte' (quoting/defining) + Verb (te-form + iru)

  ➔ "tte" is used here as a topic marker with a nuance of 'as for people', and "iru" indicates a continuous state.

• If you're multicouloured that's cool too

  ➔ Conditional 'If' + 'that's' (demonstrative pronoun)

  ➔ Using 'If' to establish a condition and 'that's' (that is) as a subject-verb contraction referring to the previous state.

• It's boring being the same

  ➔ Gerund 'being' as subject complement

  ➔ The gerund 'being' allows the speaker to treat the state of uniformity as a noun concept.

• You're pretty either way

  ➔ Adjective + 'either way' (adverbial phrase)

  ➔ 'either way' means 'in either of the two cases previously mentioned'.