Kanto Pokérap
The Pokérap is a song that was made popular by the Pokémon anime. It is the English equivalent of the song Can You Say Them All? It was played at the end of every episode from Pokémon - I Choose You! to The Breeding Center Secret.
The main purpose of the Pokérap was to list the names of the 150 Pokémon that existed at the time, except for Mew. Two verses would be played at the end of an episode, and by the end of a five-day week, all the verses would have been sung. However in Canada, the full version was played at the end of each episode. A full version of the Pokérap is available on part one of the season one DVD box set, as well as the first 7 volumes of the Kanto VHS and DVD sets, released back in 1999-2000.
It is also available on the Pokémon 2.B.A. Master CD, as well as the Pokémon X CD.
Two more Pokéraps were created for the Generation II and Generation III Pokémon, but these never aired with the show as the first one had, although Pokérap GS was shown once on Kids' WB when Hot Matches was shown. It is expected that in time the 107 Generation IV Pokémon will also get their own Pokérap.
The Legend of Dratini
An interesting point of note is that several scenes of Pokémon from the original Pokérap were taken from the banned episode EP035. These include Rhyhorn, Dratini and Dragonair. In addition, on the version aired on TV, one of the scenes shown is Misty catching a Gyarados with her fishing line. This was also from the banned episode. These scenes seem to suggest that the episode may have been dubbed, but banned before airing.
Trivia
- The five split segments were placed into episodes based on their Japanese airing order. This caused problems during the show's time in first-run syndication; EP019 aired the "Thursday" segment despite falling into the Wednesday slot in the syndication cycles due to EP018 being skipped, with EP036 and EP039 airing the "Monday" and "Thursday" segments respectively despite falling into Thursday and Monday in the cycles due to the loss of EP035 and EP038. No attempt was ever made to correct this.
- Had the entire first season aired in syndication, the last four episodes of the first season would been bumped back a whole week in the syndication cycles due to EP052 and EP053 being moved to the start of the second season in the dub, thus somewhat correcting the above problem due to the four episodes coming afterwards having the segments that corresponded to what would have been their days of the week in the cycle.
- If one rearranges the Pokérap so all the Pokémon are in order, Wigglytuff, Zubat, and Magmar will stay in the same place.
Errors
- In the VHS and DVD versions of the Pokérap, when Poliwrath is mentioned, Poliwag's picture is shown. This is also true of its first few appearances in the TV Pokérap version. In a similar situation, when Graveler was mentioned, Geodude's picture was shown. Both of these errors were eventually corrected.
- Pidgeot's name is pronounced as Pid-jit, whereas in the TV series it was always (except in movie 8) pronounced Pid-gee-ot.
- Venusaur's name was said ven-a-sor not the correct veen-a-sor.
- Pidgeotto's name was said pij-o-t-o whereas the anime says it as pij-ee-o-t-o. But, it might just sound this way because the words are being said fast.
- Lickitung's name was spelled Likitung rather than Lickitung.
- In the German version of the Pokérap, Krabby's image is shown, but Hypno's name is shown above.
- Growlithe's name was pronounced Growl-liithe rather than Growl-lith
Full lyrics
OK, guys, we gotta rap some Pokémon.
You just do the singing. I'll take care of the hard part.
Let's get it on!
I want to be the best
there ever was.
To beat all the rest, yeah,
that's my cause.
Electrode, Diglett, Nidoran♂, Mankey
Venusaur, Rattata, Fearow, Pidgey
Seaking, Jolteon, Dragonite, Gastly
Ponyta, Vaporeon, Poliwrath, Butterfree
Catch 'em, catch 'em, gotta catch 'em all,
Pokémon!
I'll search across the land,
look far and wide.
Release from my hand
the power that's inside.
Venomoth, Poliwag, Nidorino, Golduck
Ivysaur, Grimer, Victreebel, Moltres
Nidoking, Farfetch'd, Abra, Jigglypuff
Kingler, Rhyhorn, Clefable, Wigglytuff
Catch 'em, catch 'em, gotta catch 'em all,
Gotta catch 'em all, Pokémon!
Zubat, Primeape, Meowth, Onix
Geodude, Rapidash, Magneton, Snorlax
Gengar, Tangela, Goldeen, Spearow
Weezing, Seel, Gyarados, Slowbro
Gotta catch 'em all, gotta catch 'em all, yeah!
Gotta catch 'em all, gotta catch 'em all, yeah!
Gotta catch 'em all, Pokémon! Ow!
Kabuto, Persian, Paras, Horsea
Raticate, Magnemite, Kadabra, Weepinbell
Ditto, Cloyster, Caterpie, Sandshrew
Bulbasaur, Charmander, Golem, Pikachu
At least 150 or more to see.
To be a Pokémon master is my destiny.
Alakazam, Doduo, Venonat, Machoke
Kangaskhan, Hypno, Electabuzz, Flareon
Blastoise, Poliwhirl, Oddish, Drowzee
Raichu, Nidoqueen, Bellsprout, Starmie
Woo! We're at the halfway point, doing great so far.
We? What's all this "we" stuff? I'm doing all the hard work!
Breaktime's over, here we go!
Metapod, Marowak, Kakuna, Clefairy
Dodrio, Seadra, Vileplume, Krabby
Lickitung, Tauros, Weedle, Nidoran♀
Machop, Shellder, Porygon, Hitmonchan
Gotta catch 'em all, gotta catch 'em all, yeah!
Gotta catch 'em all, gotta catch 'em all, yeah!
Articuno, Jynx, Nidorina, Beedrill
Haunter, Squirtle, Chansey (Pokémon!)
Parasect, Exeggcute, Muk, Dewgong
Pidgeotto, Lapras, Vulpix, Rhydon
At least 150 or more to see.
To be a Pokémon master is my destiny.
Charizard, Machamp, Pinsir, Koffing
Dugtrio, Golbat, Staryu, Magikarp
Ninetales, Ekans, Omastar
Scyther, Tentacool, Dragonair, Magmar
Whoa, catch your breath man. Shake out those lips.
It's downhill from here, just 24 more to go.
Now it gets tricky so listen real good!
Sandslash, Hitmonlee, Psyduck, Arcanine
Eevee, Exeggutor, Kabutops, Zapdos
Dratini, Growlithe, Mr. Mime, Cubone
Graveler, Voltorb, Gloom - We're almost home!
Gotta catch 'em all, gotta catch 'em all, yeow!
Gotta catch 'em all, gotta catch 'em all, huhh!
Gotta catch 'em all, Pokémon!
Charmeleon, Wartortle
Mewtwo, Tentacruel, Aerodactyl
Omanyte, Slowpoke
Pidgeot, Arbok - That's all, folks!
Catch 'em, catch 'em, gotta catch 'em all (oowww)
Gotta catch 'em all, Pokémon..
Catch 'em, catch 'em, gotta catch 'em all (oowww)
Gotta catch 'em all, Pokémon..
Catch 'em, catch 'em, gotta catch 'em all
Gotta catch 'em all, Pokémon!
Credits
- Lead vocals: James "D Train" Williams, Babi Floyd
- BG vocals: John Loeffler, Louis Cortelezzi, Ken Cummings, James "D Train" Williams
- Co-produced and arranged by John Siegler
Link
This article is part of Project Music, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon song, CD and musician. |