The story behind the Blue Jays’ catchy tune ‘OK Blue Jays’

As the Blue Jays get set to take on the Yankees in the ALDS, John Vennavally-Rao catches up with the writers of the Blue Jays iconic song, ‘OK Blue Jays.’

It’s a staple of the seventh-inning stretch at Rogers Centre. Before the crowd sings “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” they stand and belt out “OK Blue Jays,” which has been the team’s unofficial anthem for more than 40 years.

But when co-writer Jack Lenz penned the tune in 1982, he never imagined it would endure.

It was just another gig, this time writing a commercial for a five-year-old baseball team that wasn’t particularly good.

Lenz and his partner, singer-songwriter Tony Kosinec, were approached by an advertising agency working with the Blue Jays to create a tune for a short video promo.

Two members of that agency, creative director Alan Smith and copywriter Pat Arbour, suggested some of the lyrics that would be used.

“They said, ‘We’d like it to be singable,’” Lenz recalled.

The surprising twist? Neither he nor Kosinec were baseball fans.

“I had never been to a major league baseball game,” said Lenz, adding his partner also had no experience with baseball. “Neither of us were qualified to write that song,” he said with a laugh.

They’re just ‘OK’

Lenz says Blue Jays executive Paul Beeston met with the duo and told them to keep expectations modest. The expansion team lost more games than they won.

“He didn’t want us to promise too much. So, we could say they were ‘OK.’ Those were the exact words,” said Lenz. “But fortunately, OK rhymed with Blue Jays.”

They crafted the initial 30-second jingle in an afternoon. The response was so positive they were asked to expand it.

“We got this idea that we would tell the story of what it was like to go to a game,” said Lenz.

The lyrics catalogued the baseball experience and started with the lyrics:

“You’ve got a diamond, you’ve got nine men.” The chorus was simply: “OK Blue Jays, let’s play ball!”

“Like anybody, probably down to three years old, could sing it, right?” said Lenz.

When told the song would be used at the seventh-inning stretch, Lenz thought “it might last a year.”

Gold record status

But it’s now been 43 years since it was first written. The song was also released as a record that sold more than 50,000 copies, reaching gold status. It was recorded at Eastern Sound, a now-demolished Yorkville studio, by musicians dubbed The Bat Boys.

Keith Hampshire sang lead vocals. The established musician had scored a No. 1 Canadian hit in 1973 with his version of “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” and did extensive commercial work.

When he first heard the song, he says it reminded him of Randy Newman’s style, so he gave his vocals that flavour.

Hampshire says almost no one knows it’s his voice on the recording.

“I go to the ballgames now with my grandson, and when he was little he would say, ‘Is that you, Poppa?’ And I would say, ‘Yeah, that’s me, son,’” Hampshire shared.

“It’s a great song and I’m glad it’s living on.”

A longtime Jays fan, Hampshire is looking forward to the playoffs.

“I think if everyone performs to their capabilities, and luck is with us, we can do it.”

Lenz says he also became a fan, with supporters now hoping the team is more than just OK in the games ahead.