kahte the ustad hamare, naam tha jinka mchhandar
insan tha pahle bandar, insan tha pahle bandar
insan tha pahle bandar, insan tha pahle bandar
lambi dum wale the sare, apni pavo ke andar
insan tha pahle bandar, insan tha pahle bandar

na koi jhon tha na koi abdul na koi tha gopal
sabki surat ek jiasi thi, ek thi sabki chal
ek thi sabki chal
nage phirte the jangal, me banke mast kalandar
insan tha pahle bandar, insan tha pahle bandar
kahte the ustad hamare
naam tha jinka mchhandar
insan tha pahle bandar, insan tha pahle bandar

kam kiya ye pahla humne ban gaye jab insan
miti ke do char gharo me, bant diye bhagwan
bant diye bhagwan
kisi ne bola uncha gir ja, kisi ne mast smandar
insan tha pahle bandar, insan tha pahle bandar
lambi dum wale the sare, apni pavo ke andar
insan tha pahle bandar, insan tha pahle bandar
kahte the ustad hamare, naam tha jinka mchhandar
insan tha pahle bandar, insan tha pahle bandar

My master, Machander, used to say,
Man was once a monkey, in days of old, they say.
Man was once a monkey, the truth of the way.
Man was once a monkey, the stories convey.
Long tails they had, that swung and swayed,
Man was once a monkey, unafraid.

No John, no Abdul, no Gopal's name,
All faces mirrored, the same, the same.
All walked as one, in sun and rain,
Naked they roamed, in the wild domain.
Man was once a monkey, free from chain,
My master, Machander, spoke this refrain.
Man was once a monkey, again, again.

We worked first, when we became men,
And in mud huts, we divided then.
Divided God, and with a pen,
Some called for heights, some, the ocean's ken.
Man was once a monkey, again, again.
Long tails they had, that swung and swayed,
Man was once a monkey, unafraid.
My master, Machander, used to say,
Man was once a monkey, in days of old, they say.
Man was once a monkey, the truth of the way.