Believe with me: Even if we are torn apart, our feelings will unite us. That's what this song is about.
Yuna and Lenne, addressing the crowd at the Thunder Plains
"1000 Words" (1000の言葉, Sen no Kotoba?) is the ballad Yuna sings from atop the Celsius at the concert on the Thunder Plains in Final Fantasy X-2 during Chapter 4. It was composed and arranged by Takahito Eguchi and Noriko Matsueda, with lyrics written by Kazushige Nojima.
Koda Kumi sings the Japanese version, while American singer Jade Villalon from the German pop group, Sweetbox, sings the English version. The lyrics were adapted into English by Brian Gray.
Lyrics[]
The official lyrics for the Japanese version were released on the single Real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba and the Final Fantasy X-2: Original Soundtrack. The official lyrics for the English version sung by Jade were released on the Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission Original Soundtrack.
Japanese version[]
Yuna's concert version, "FFX-2 Mix", omits the lyrics in italics.
- Japanese
- 君の言葉は
- 夢の優しさかな?
- ウソを全部
- 覆い隠してる
- ズルイよね
- 旅立つ君に
- 冷めた背中見せて
- 聞いていたよ
- ひとり戦うの?
- ズルイよね
- 「帰ってくるから」
- 追い越してゆく君の声
- 意地張って
- 強いフリ
- 時を戻して
- 叫べば良かった?
- 行かないでと涙こぼしたら?
- 今はできる
- どんなことも
- 言えなかった
- 1000の言葉を
- 遙かな
- 君の背中におくるよ
- 翼に変えて
- 言えなかった
- 1000の言葉は
- 傷ついた
- 君の背中に寄り添い
- 抱きしめる
- 夢の続きは
- 君を思いながら
- あの日のこと
- 忘れたふりして
- ズルイよね
- 「手紙を書くから」
- 視線そらした君の声
- 意地張って
- 強いフリ
- 時を戻して
- 怒れば良かった?
- 待てないよと肩を落としたら?
- 今はできる
- どんなことも
- 聞こえてる?
- 1000の言葉を
- 見えない
- 君の背中におくるよ
- 翼に変えて
- 聞こえてる?
- 1000の言葉は
- つかれた
- 君の背中に寄り添い
- 抱きしめる
- 言えなかった
- 1000の言葉を
- Lalalala..
- 君の背中におくるよ
- 翼に変えて
- 聞こえてる?
- 1000の言葉は
- Lalalala..
- 君の背中に寄り添い
- Lalalalala....
- Rōmaji
- Kimi no kotoba wa
- Yume no yasashisa kana?
- Uso o zenbu
- Ooikakushiteru
- Zurui yo ne
- Tabidatsu kimi ni
- Sameta senaka misete
- Kiiteita yo
- Hitori tatakau no?
- Zurui yo ne
- "Kaettekuru kara"
- Oikoshiteyuku kimi no koe
- Iji hatte
- Tsuyoi furi
- Toki o modoshite
- Sakebeba yokatta?
- Ikanai de to namida koboshitara?
- Ima wa dekiru
- Donna koto mo
- Ienakatta
- Sen no kotoba o
- Haruka na
- Kimi no senaka ni okuru yo
- Tsubasa ni kaete
- Ienakatta
- Sen no kotoba wa
- Kizutsuita
- Kimi no senaka ni yorisoi
- Dakishimeru
- Yume no tsuzuki wa
- Kimi o omoinagara
- Ano hi no koto
- Wasureta furishite
- Zurui yo ne
- "Tegami o kaku kara"
- Shisen sorashita kimi no koe
- Iji hatte
- Tsuyoi furi
- Toki o modoshite
- Okoreba yokatta?
- Matenai yo to kata o otoshitara?
- Ima wa dekiru
- Donna koto mo
- Kikoeteru?
- Sen no kotoba o
- Mienai
- Kimi no senaka ni okuru yo
- Tsubasa ni kaete
- Kikoeteru?
- Sen no kotoba wa
- Tsukareta
- Kimi no senaka ni yorisoi
- Dakishimeru
- Ienakatta
- Sen no kotoba o
- Lalalala..
- Kimi no senaka ni okuru yo
- Tsubasa ni kaete
- Kikoeteru?
- Sen no kotoba wa
- Lalalala..
- Kimi no senaka ni yorisoi
- Lalalalala....
- Unofficial English translation
- Are your words
- The gentleness of a dream?
- You're covering up
- All the lies
- It's unfair
- I coldly showed my
- Back to you as you departed,
- But I was listening
- Will you fight alone?
- It's unfair
- "I will come back."
- I heard your voice as you passed me
- I acted strong
- By being stubborn
- Should I have gone
- Back in time and shouted?
- What if I shed a tear and begged you not to go?
- Anything that
- I can do now
- I will send
- The thousand words
- I couldn't say
- To your faraway back,
- Transforming them into wings
- The thousand words
- I couldn't say
- Will nestle
- Against your injured back
- And hold you close
- I pretend to have
- Forgotten that day while
- Thinking of you
- For the rest of the dream
- It's unfair
- "I will write you a letter."
- I heard your voice as you looked away
- I acted strong
- By being stubborn
- Should I have gone
- Back in time and gotten angry?
- What if I slumped my shoulders and said I can't wait?
- Anything that
- I can do now
- Can you hear me?
- I will send
- A thousand words
- To your back out of sight,
- Transforming them into wings
- Can you hear me?
- A thousand words
- Will get close
- To your weary back
- And embrace you
- I will send
- The thousand words
- Lalalala...
- I couldn't say to your back,
- Transforming them into wings
- Can you hear me?
- A thousand words
- Lalalala...
- Will nestle against your back
- Lalalalala...
English versions[]
Yuna's concert uses Jade's version, removing the lyrics in italics.
Koda Kumi[]
- I know that you lied to me
- Using gentle words to shelter me
- Your words are like a dream
- But dreams could never fool me
- It's not right to me
- I acted so distant then
- Turned my back as you walked away
- But love was listening
- That you fight your battles far from me
- It's not right to me
- "Don't you worry 'cause I'll come back"
- I could hear you speaking as you walked to the door
- I acted strong
- to hide the pain
- When I turn back the pages
- Crying might've been the answer
- What if I'd shed my tears, and begged you not to leave?
- But now I'm not afraid
- to do what's in my heart
- Those thousand words
- Have never been spoken
- So far away
- I'm sending them to you, wherever you are
- Suspended on shiny wings
- Those thousand words
- Have never been spoken
- They'll cradle you
- Making all of your pain seem so far away
- And hold you forever
- The dream isn't over yet
- I pretend and say I can't forget
- I still live in that day
- You've been there with me all the way
- It's not right of me
- "Don't you worry 'cause I'll write to you"
- I could see you speaking as you looked away
- I acted strong
- to hide the love
- When I turn back the pages
- Anger might've been the answer
- What if I shook my head and said that I can't wait?
- But now I'm not afraid
- to do what's in my heart
- Those thousand words
- Have never been spoken
- So far away
- I'm sending them to you, wherever you are
- Suspended on shiny wings
- Those thousand words
- Have never been spoken
- They'll cradle you
- Making all of your pain seem so far away
- And hold you forever
- Those thousand words
- Have never been spoken
- Lalalala..
- I'm sending them to you, wherever you are
- Suspended on shiny wings
- Those thousand words
- Have never been spoken
- Lalalala..
- Making all of those years feel like only days
- Lalalalala....
Jade[]
- I know that you're hiding things
- using gentle words to shelter me
- Your words were like a dream
- but dreams could never fool me
- Not that easily
- I acted so distant then
- didn't say goodbye before you left
- But I was listening:
- You'll fight your battles far from me...
- Far too easily
- "Save your tears 'cause I'll come back."
- I could hear that you whispered as you walked through that door
- But still I swore
- to hide the pain.
- When I turn back the pages:
- Shouting might have been the answer...
- What if I'd cried my eyes out, and begged you not to depart?
- But now I'm not afraid
- to say what's in my heart
- Though a thousand words
- have never been spoken
- They'll fly to you
- crossing over the time and distance holding you
- suspended on silver wings
- And a thousand words
- One thousand confessions
- will cradle you
- Making all of the pain you feel seem far away
- They'll hold you forever
- The dream isn't over yet
- Though I often say I can forget
- I still relive that day
- You've been there with me all the way
- I still hear you say:
- "Wait for me. I'll write you letters."
- I could see how you stammered with your eyes to the floor
- But still I swore
- to hide the doubt.
- When I turn back the pages:
- Anger might have been the answer...
- What if I'd hung my head and said that I couldn't wait?
- But now I'm strong enough
- to know it's not too late
- 'Cause a thousand words
- call out through the ages
- They'll fly to you
- even though I can't see, I know they're reaching you
- suspended on silver wings
- Oh, a thousand words
- One thousand embraces
- will cradle you
- making all of your weary days seem far away
- They'll hold you forever
- Oh, a thousand words
- have never been spoken
- They'll fly to you
- They'll carry you home, and back into my arms
- suspended on silver wings
- And a thousand words
- call out through the ages
- They'll cradle you
- Turning all of the lonely years to only days
- They'll hold you forever
- A thousand words
Game appearances[]
Final Fantasy X-2[]

Yuna performs "1000 Words".
"1000 Words" has three versions on the original soundtrack: the version Yuna sings on the Thunder Plains; an instrumental piano version called "A Wish That Spans the Ages" in the Luca sphere theater; and an extended, orchestral version that plays during the ending credits. They are tracks 19, 27, and 29 of the soundtrack's disc 2. The "FFX-2 Mix" of the English version sung by Jade is track 1 and the orchestra version is track 9 on the Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission Original Soundtrack.
A dark reprise of the theme's main melody can also be heard within the final boss theme, "Their Resting Place", from 0:47–0:57 and 1:55–2:05.
During the Japanese concert FMV, Yuna transforms into Lenne and continues to perform the solo in Lenne's likeness. In the English version, Yuna turns into Lenne, but Lenne later appears alongside Yuna, and they perform together. Some shots in the English version focus more on Shuyin, but the Japanese version gives him and Lenne equal importance. In the HD Remaster, the Japanese version retains its original FMV, and the English version uses the original overseas version. The same applies to the opening theme "real Emotion", making both FMVs the only content in the HD Remaster not faithful to the International version.
In the original English language version of Final Fantasy X-2, no subtitles appear for the song during the performance on the Thunder Plains, regardless of whether the player has chosen to display subtitles during cutscenes. The HD Remaster versions display subtitles.
After Gippal and Nooj on the Farplane asked Yuna to de-escalate the conflict in Spira in their absence, the Gullwings decide to hold a concert. Yuna plans on singing a song that illustrates the horrors of war, which she believes is Lenne's true feelings, a summoner from Zanarkand a 1000 years ago whose spirit crystallized into a sphere. The Gullwings now use it as a dressphere, which resonates with Yuna in particular. During Yuna's performance, the Songstress dressphere summons Lenne's spirit to sing alongside Yuna, and her memories of her final moments with Shuyin are projected onto the sphere display screen used for the concert. At the song's end, the thunderstorm briefly ceases, the clouds part and the sun shines down on the barren plains. The experience drains Yuna emotionally, but understanding Lenne's feelings steels her resolve to find Shuyin's spirit and tell him that Lenne loved him to bring a peaceful end to the Vegnagun conflict. The song has the intended effect of calming the strife between the warring factions of New Yevon and the Youth League.
Final Fantasy X-2: Last Mission[]
The piano version of "1000 Words" plays during the opening scene as Yuna enters Luca Stadium and during the latter half of the game's final scene.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call[]
"1000 Words" appears as an Event Music Sequence for Final Fantasy X-2. Triggering the Extended Version shows clips from the Normal and Good Endings of Final Fantasy X-2. The International version features the original Japanese version with a minor change: rather than retaining Yuna smoothly morphing into Lenne, the segment is from the International releases, where Yuna changes in a burst of light, making the EMS look rather odd.
Arrangement album appearances[]
real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba[]
The single includes the original Japanese version by Koda Kumi and an instrumental version as the second and fourth tracks.
Grow into One[]
"1000 Words" is on the album as the seventh track. The album also includes an Alternate Orchestra Version as the bonus track.
Come With Me[]
The single includes Kumi's English version as the third track. The lyrics were translated into English by Brian Gray and Sachi Bennett. It also has a remix titled "1000 Words/DJ 19 Remix" as the fifth track.
Adagio[]
The album's special edition includes Jade's full-length version of "1000 Words" as the 15th track. Jade Villalon's version was also credited as a single for the German pop music project Sweetbox due to Villalon still being the project's frontwoman at the time of recording. This version is included in the Bonus Edition of their 2004 album, Adagio.
Final Fantasy X-2 Piano Collection[]
The album includes "1000 Words", arranged and performed by Hiroko Kokubu, as the tenth track.
Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 2[]
The remix version "1000 no Kotoba (Shohei Matsumoto & Junichi Matsuda Remix)" is the album's 11th track.
Gallery[]
Sheet music[]
Allusions[]
- An Arcanist quest in Final Fantasy XIV is titled "A Thousand Words".