San Francisco is World Serious about taking its third MLB title in five years – and if that means upsetting Lorde, well, so be it.
As the hometown Giants get set to take on the Kansas City Royals in the World Series (Game 1 is Tuesday night in KC), a pair of San Fran radio stations have announced they’re removing “Royals” from their playlists until the Series is done, after both were inundated with angry emails from listeners.
“No offense, Lorde, but for the duration of the World Series, KFOG Radio will be a ‘Royals’-free zone,” one SF station posted on its Facebook page. “We’re sure you understand.”
“Our listeners told us to do it, so we did,” KOIT program director Brian Figula wrote on his station’s website. “As of 4 p.m. today we’ve removed ‘Royals’ from our playlist…Go Giants, beat the Royals!”
Meanwhile, Kansas City’s KZPT – which just so happens to be KOIT’s sister station – has announced they’ll be pumping “Royals” into the highest-possible rotation, playing the song every hour on the hour on Tuesday.
“I respect the work of Mr. Brian Figula, 96.5 KOIT program director, and his team of broadcast professionals, but we won’t let their anti-Royals spirit ruin this moment,” KZPT’s Tony Lorino said in a statement. “A few angry San Franciscans who don’t have a song called ‘Giants’ won’t rain on our parade.”
In an interview last year, Lorde revealed that she took inspiration for her breakout single from a National Geographic photograph of former Kansas City Royals great George Brett – “I had this image of this dude just signing baseballs,” she explained. “His shirt said ‘Royals,’ it was just that word.” – and the tune has since been adapted into an unofficial anthem for the team.
Lorde eventually got to meet Brett, who guided the Royals to their only World Series championship in 1985, and received an autographed jersey from the Hall of Famer (she appeared to be rather confused by the interaction). Brett now serves as VP of baseball operations for Kansas City, and his overly enthusiastic celebrations have come to define the team’s improbable run back to the Fall Classic in 2014.
