This filk is set to the melody of "Pray", the first Gintama opening song. It focuses on the Odd Jobs trio and tries to convey a similar nostalgic spirit as the tune itself holds for me. While a couple of lines are inspired by quotes from later arcs, there's nothing spoilery about the lyrics.
I've kept some of the words that are in English in the original lyrics, but not all of them. As English and Japanese work fairly differently in terms of rhythm, I've underlined the vowels where I think the stress should be the strongest.
Concrit very welcome!
As indicated in the post, the words are sung by the trio itself. Otae & Otose are the background vocalists who sing the words within parentheses.
DISCLAIMER just because it's polite: These characters are created and owned by Hideaki Sorachi. They are used here without permission. This filk should not be reposted elsewhere without the writer's approval.
A Thousand Threads (Pray)
All: Let's go out open my mind
Let's go! Sweet dream other side
Put all our troubles behind
Because it's sun-ny out
Kagura: We'll go buy something to eat
And let our dog run around
Shinpachi: We'll watch the folks in the street
You two behave now
Gintoki: You know what / I used to / Roll easy (hey baby why)
Then slowly / A new load / To carry (I want to cry)
No matter what a pain it is, it's just no fun without it
There's no way I can put it down/ it seems/ I'm just stuck with you
All: Everything we've gone through in our lives before this
Has brought us here
And maybe our dreams/ Aren't that grandiose
But we came together in this dirty city
Baby
I pray we can go on
We'll take on every job we get
With open minds forever
Shinpachi: I thought the samurai gone
That there was no help to find
But now it's here I belong
My soul will learn to shine
Kagura: My kind has always been strong
They say we only can fight
But I'll prove everyone wrong
Believe in kindness
Gintoki: We're here now / Let's stick to / The present (forget the past)
I'll strive for / the sweets that / sustain me (won't run too fast)
I'm through with waging war these days, I've buried far too many
But I will still protect what's mine / and shield / where my sword can reach
All: Everyone who gets to meet us is a brand-new
Connection made
We spin a thousand threads / Whether friends or not
Every single one's a part of this old city
Always
I pray we can hold on
And always be ob-nox-i-ous
With stubborn hearts forever
Otose & Otae: (Hey baby why / I hear you sigh / Hey samurai
I'm telling you / The three of you / Should not be blue
Yeah/ Now pay the rent)
All: Everytime we're making messes we just cover
Them up again
By making one more mess / But it all works out
Somehow we're a force for justice in this city
With you
I pray we can be strong
We'll wipe away our clients' tears
For we came together in this dirty city
Baby
I pray we can go on
We'll stand and watch the rising sun
With silver souls forever