Kaizen Song: g.e.m.b.a

By Jon Miller Published on July 20th, 2006

g.e.m.b.a.
(to the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.”)
Young man, there’s no need to feel down
I said, young man, pick your reports off the ground
I said, young man, ’cause your boss ripped you a new one
There’s no need to be unhappy
Young man, there’s a place you can go
I said, young man, when you’re short on ideas so
If you stand out there, and I’m sure you will find
Many ways to improve your bottom line
It’s fun to go to the g.e.m.b.a.
It’s fun to go to the g.e.m.b.a.
They have every problem for young managers to solve
You can get your hands on all the machine tools
It’s fun to go to the g.e.m.b.a.
It’s fun to go to the g.e.m.b.a.
You can clean the machines
You can learn to weld steel
You can look for the parts that need to ship
Young man, are you listening to the floor?
I said, young man, what do you want you on-time to be?
I said, young man, you can make all of your shipments
But you’ve got to flow it one piece
No man, fills the whole order by himself
I said, young man, don’t put finished goods on the shelf
And just go there, to the g.e.m.b.a.
I’m sure you can walk the whole value stream today
It’s fun to go to the g.e.m.b.a.
It’s fun to go to the g.e.m.b.a.
They have every problem for managers to solve
You can get your hands on all the machine tools
It’s fun to go to the g.e.m.b.a.
It’s fun to go to the g.e.m.b.a.
You can clean the machines
You can learn to weld steel
You can look for the parts that need to ship
Young man, put on your steel toe shoes
I said, put on your safety glasses too
Tool belt, let them know that you’ve arrived
Make sure you take off your neck tie
And if someone comes up to you
And says “young manager take a walk to H.R.”
You’ve got a home called the g.e.m.b.a.
Tell them you’re here to say
It’s fun to go to the g.e.m.b.a.
It’s fun to go to the g.e.m.b.a.
They have every problem for managers to solve
You can get your hands on all the machine tools
g.e.m.b.a.
It’s fun to go to the g.e.m.b.a.
It’s fun to go to the g.e.m.b.a.
Young man, young man, see the andon lamps flashing now
Young man, young man, it’s time to show them you know how
g.e.m.b.a.
Just go to the g.e.m.b.a.
Young man, put on your steel toe shoes
I said, put on your safety glasses too
g.e.m.b.a.
g.e.m.b.a.
g.e.m.b.a.
g.e.m.b.a.

Jon Miller

Jon has dedicated his 25+ year career to the field of kaizen, continuous improvement, and lean management. Jon spent the first eighteen years of his life in Japan, then graduated from McGill University with a bachelor’s in linguistics.

Chris
July 24, 2006 - 1:26 am
Reply

Thank you or the entertainment, Kaizen should always be fun.
It is surprising that the Village People’s songs lend themselves to parady so easily.
Even before seeing your blog I had previously gone around the factory myself with the Village People song “In the Navy” in my head. If you think about it it works ” “In the Gemba you can …….. etc”.
I’m still working on the words, so if anyone out there in Kaizen land has more talent than I have please give me some ideas for alternative verses