When visiting a hot spring in Death Stranding, you can tap the touchpad to have Sam belt out a Japanese song. However, for fans outside of Japan, this hilarious little ditty is indecipherable. The Death Stranding hot springs song is a real tune, and we’ve found the lyrics, translation, and history of it. So, next time you’re singing along, “Ii yu da na,” you’ll actually know what you’re saying.
What is the hot springs song in Death Stranding?
The song that Sam sings when bathing in the hot springs in Death Stranding is a real song and wasn’t just made up for the game. The song’s official title is “いい湯だな” (Ii yu da na), which translates to “Good Hot Water.” Finding out the history behind this song took me down a rabbit hole of Showa Era Japanese music that was a bit confusing, to say the least.
There’s not a lot of English-language information about music from that period as the anime invasion of the 1990s hadn’t yet brought otaku culture to the West. However, I was able to discover that “Ii yu da na” was first released in 1966 by the band Duke Aces on their album にほんのうた (Nihon No Uta). However, the song didn’t take off until it was covered by The Drifters (the Japanese band, not to be confused for the 1950s US doo-wop/R&B group) in 1968 as a B-side for their single “ズッコケちゃん” (Zukkokechan).
The B-side of “Good Hot Water” proved to be more popular than the A-side, and a variation of the song was regularly performed on the variety show It’s 8 O’Clock! Everyone Assemble! (8時だよ！全員集合) as the closing theme. It’s 8 O’Clock! Everyone Assemble! ran from 1969 to 1985 and was one of the most popular Japanese variety shows ever produced. This, paired with the fact that many ads for anything involving a hot spring or bath product use the song, makes “Ii yu da na” immediately recognizable to those living in Japan.
So, when Sam belts out the tune when bathing in the hot springs in Death Stranding, the game’s Japanese audience gets a nice blast of nostalgia. However, the easter egg is lost on many outside of Japan.
What are the lyrics to the hot springs song in Death Stranding?
The lyrics of “Ii yu da na” haven’t remained consistent since the song’s first release. It was changed from the original Duke Aces version when The Drifters began performing it, and there also exist some regional variations. The lyrics below are based on the original 1968 B-side cover by The Drifters.
In Death Stranding, we only hear a small portion of the beginning of the song. After Sam’s rendition of the (abridged) initial lyrics, the song begins talking about hot springs all over Japan. Also note that the refrain is just nonsense sounds, not actual Japanese words.
Japanese Lyrics (Romanization):
(Source: LyricsFreak)
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a bibabibabiba
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
ahhh biba non non
–
Ii yu da na (ahaha) ii yu da na (ahaha)
Yuge ga tenzyoo kara
Potari to senaka ni
Tsumetee na (ahaha) tsumetee na (ahaha)
Koko wa kitaguni noboribetsu no yu
–
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a bibabibabiba
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
ahhh biba non non
–
Ii yu da na (ahaha) ii yu da na (ahaha)
Dare ka utau ka
Yagibushi ga
Ii mon da (ahaha) ii mon da (ahaha)
Koko wa zyoosyuu kuusatsu no yu
–
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a bibabibabiba
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
ahhh biba non non
–
Ii yu da na (ahaha) ii yu da na (ahaha)
Yuge ga kasunda Shiroi hitokage
Ano ko ka na (ahaha) ano ko ka na (ahaha)
Koko wa kisyuu no shirahama no yu
–
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a bibabibabiba
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
ahhh biba non non
–
Ii yu da na (ahaha) ii yu da na (ahaha)
Nihonzin nara Naniwabushi de mo
Unaro ka na (ahaha) unaro ka na (ahaha)
Koko wa nankoku beppu no yu
–
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a bibabibabiba
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
ahhh biba non non
English Translation:
(Source: LyricsFreak)
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a bibabibabiba
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
ahhh biba non non
–
Nice bath, isn’t it. Nice bath, isn’t it.
From the ceiling, the steam
Drip drops on my back.
It’s cold, isn’t it? It’s cold, isn’t it?
This is the north country (of Japan), the Noboribetsu bath.
–
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a bibabibabiba
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
ahhh biba non non
–
Nice bath, isn’t it. Nice bath, isn’t it.
Is somebody singing
A Yagibushi?
Good question. Good question.
This is Zyoosyuu, the Kusatsu bath.
–
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a bibabibabiba
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
ahhh biba non non
–
Nice bath, isn’t it. Nice bath, isn’t it.
In the misty steam
There are people’s white shadows.
I wonder if it’s that child, I wonder if it’s that child.
This is the Shirahama bath in Kisyuu.
–
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a bibabibabiba
bum bum bum bum bum bum
a biba non non
bum bum bum bum bum bum
ahhh biba non non
–
Nice bath, isn’t it. Nice bath, isn’t it.
Since we’re Japanese,
(let’s do) a Naniwabshi.
I wonder if we should sing it, I wonder if we should sing it.
This is south country, the Beppu bath.
Japanese Lyrics (Original)
(Source: Kget.jp)
(ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバノンノン
ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバビバビバ
ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバノンノン
ババンバ バンバンバン
アー ビバノンノン)
–
いい湯だな (ハハハン)
いい湯だな (ハハハン)
湯気が天井から ポタリと背中に
つめてエな (ハハハン)
つめてエな (ハハハン)
ここは北国 登別の湯
–
(ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバノンノン
ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバビバ
ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバノンノン
ババンバ バンバンバン
アー ビバノンノン)
–
いい湯だな (ハハハン)
いい湯だな (ハハハン)
誰が唄うか 八木節が
いいもんだ (アハハン)
いいもんだ (アハハン)
ここは上州 草津の湯
–
(ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバビバビバ
ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバノンノン
ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバノンノン
ババンバ バンバンバン
アー ビバノンノン)
–
いい湯だな (ハハハン)
いい湯だな (ハハハン)
湯気にかすんだ白い人影
あの娘かな (アハハン)
あの娘かな (アハハン)
ここは紀州の 白浜の湯
–
(ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバノンノン
ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバビバビバ
ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバノンノン
ババンバ バンバンバン
アー ビバノンノン)
–
いい湯だな (ハハハン)
いい湯だな (ハハハン)
日本人なら 浪花節でも
うなろかな (アハハン)
うなろかな (アハハン)
ここは南国 別府の湯
–
(ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバノンノン
ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバビバビバ
ババンバ バンバンバン
ア ビバノンノン
ババンバ バンバンバン
アー ビバノンノン)
