Category: Music

Sumo Things was the result of a challenge from Gary Taylor, a music manager based in Canada. “Write a song called ‘Sumo Things’,” he said. At the time, I had been listening to the band System Of A Down a lot. In fact, the band’s music helped keep me awake while driving across the country to Los Angeles where I attended the ASCAP Music festival. The chorus of this song was inspired by a SOAD song.

The album cover was Photoshop work. I had actually written “KIAI” in pen on my fingers.

Sumo Things

© 2007 Kiai Kim, Music and Lyrics; Gary Taylor, Lyrics

Big boys get your big thing on
Get your groove get your grip let the sweat drip
Big boys get your sumo thing on
Sumo eat sumo sleep work that sumo beat

Hang on sumo ding dong get your groove on

Top knot you’re hot wear the mawashi
Get it on ding dong with this rikishi song
Wrestle sekitori don the yukata
Cmon kimarite you sumo boys are strong

Hang on sumo ding dong get your groove on
Hang on sumo ding dong get your groove on

Crash bang sumo man take that big boy down
Take him down count down let’s get another round
Head brace power shake rikishi make the earth quake
Do that sumo thing get that boy out of the ring

Hang on sumo ding dong get your groove on
Hang on sumo ding dong get your groove on

Big boys you got those sumo things
Sumo wives sumo digs ding dong get in the ring

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This recording was the very first one I completed by myself after Robie of dance music fame taught me how to engineer using Digital Performer software. Please note that because the sound peaks (goes in the red zone), playback from the web may not work so well. But the song is available for download on Soundcloud.

I wrote the song in 2002 as a birthday gift to someone who I greatly admired. Before that time, I used to write songs for friends, perform them once or a handful of times, and then forget about them. By 2002, my songwriting had improved enough to be worthy of recording.

After time having become better at audio engineering and performing on record, I decided to place a Creative Commons With Attribution license on this recording. Last I checked, it had been downloaded over 4 million times. I plan to record a new version, and if I like it enough will put it up on iTunes.

The artwork is also mine, created on Illustrator CS1.

Here are the lyrics to Happy Birthday:

It’s that day that comes just once a year
We are happy that you are still here
If you think you’re getting old
Well, honey, let the truth be told
You only have eternity to go

You made it one more time around the sun
Now’s the time you have to have more fun
Kick up your heels enjoy the ride
And let your God above just drive
Now’s the time when we all have to say
Have a happy birthday
Celebrate and dance with all your might
Have a happy birthday
Laugh and sing, celebrate your life

You are full of love and grace
It pleases us to see your smiling face
To see you rise and be a star
We know that you’ll go really far
This life is short, and you have just begun
So have a happy birthday
Celebrate and dance with all your might
Have a happy birthday
Laugh and sing and celebrate
Laugh and sing and celebrate
Laugh and sing, celebrate your life