Baseball Related Songs: “Kingdome” by Lenny Randle

In today’s episode of “Baseball Related Songs,” we pay attention to a real funky disco stomper. How much baseball related do you want it? A song about a ballpark sung by a former MLB player. The guy was literally a journeyman who became famous thanks to one special play he made at the Kingdome in Seattle, when he played for the Mariners.

The player we are talking about is Lenny Randle, the guy who was kind enough to grant the Dutch Baseball Hangout an interview back in 2017. He played for the Washington Senators, the Texas Rangers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and the Seattle Mariners. After the 1982 season, Randle went to Italy where he joined Nettuno. During his stint with Nettuno, he won the batting title of the Italian Serie A with an average of .477.

The play Lenny got famous for was during a game vs the Kansas City Royals  on May 27, 1981. Royals centerfielder Amos Otis hit a slow roller down the third base line in the sixth inning. Randle got on his hands and knees and successfully blew the ball foul. “The Royals protested the game. Afterwards, Randle said that there was a “no-blow rule” implemented. He jokingly said, “They won the game, we won the protest.”

But then to today’s song. During the 1981 player strike, Randle went to a recording studio to record a song that honored the first home of the Seattle Mariners, the Kingdome.
In this typical disco stomper, there were some rap influences as well.

In 2014, the song was part of a compilation album named “Wheedles Groove: Seattle Funk, Modern Soul & Boogie, Volume II, 1972-1987.” Because of this album, the song became a craze.

Randle did not hit the recording studio all alone. He collected a group of ball players that served as background vocals: Larry Andersen, Al Cowens, and Julio and Todd Cruz. Jerome, by the way, is guitar player Jerome Andrews, who shreds a nice solo at this point in the song.

I got to warn you: this song is strung together with repetitions. 😉

The lyrics of “Kingdome” are as follows:

Short instrumental intro

Say Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome
Do the Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome

There’s a dance going around Seattle
And it’s moving across the land
All the folks are doing it
They’re even doing it in Iran

It’s called the Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome

Raise your hands high in the air
And you make them like an arc
You can do it at home
You can do it in the dark

It’s called the Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome

Now when you’re in the King
You gotta check out the Astroturf
Now check out the turf
That’s Astroturf!

As you’re running to first, Running to first
And heading to second, Heading to second
And you’re going to third, Going to third
And your’re heading home, Heading home
You gotta break on down, You gotta break on down
And do the Kingdome.

Say Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome
Do the Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome

Say ow, Ow
Say ow, Ow
Say Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome, Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome, Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome

Raise your hands high in the air
And you make them like an arc
You can do it at home,
You can do it in the dark

Let’s call the Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome
You can do it at home, Do it at home
And never alone, Never alone

Go ahead Jerome

Say Kindome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome
Now check out the turf, Check out the turf
As you’re running to first, Running to first, Running to first
And heading to second, Heading to second
And you’re going to third, Going to third
And your’re heading home, Heading home
You gotta break on down, You gotta break on down
And do the what? Kingdome
Do the what? Kingdome
Do the what? Kingdome
Say what? Kingdome
Say ow, Ow
Say ow, Ow
Say Kingdome, Kingdome, Kingdome, Kingdome
Say Kingdome, Kingdome, Kingdome, Kingdome
Ow

You can do it at home, Do it at home
But never alone, But never alone
Say Kingdome, Kingdome
Ho, Ho
Ho, Ho

As you’re running to first, Running to first
And heading to second, Heading to second
And you’re crawling to third, Crawling to third
And your’re sneaking home, Sneaking home
You gotta break on down, You gotta break on down
The what? Kingdome
What? Kingdome
Say what? Kingdome

Kingdome, Kingdome
The Kingdome, Kingdome

Say ohw, Ohw
Say ow, Ow
Kingdome, Kingdome
You can do it at home, Do it at home
But never alone, But never alone
Say Kingdome, Kingdome

Ow, Ow
Say Ohw, Ohw
Ow, Ow
Kingdome, Kingdome
Kingdome, Kingdome
To the Kingdome, Kingdome
To the Kingdome, Kingdome
To the King, King, King, King, King, King, King, King, King, King, King, King, King, Kingdome