8. Fukudome, Bring it Home – Mark Harrod (with Pat Hughes and Len Kasper)

http://www.markharrodmusic.com

Kosuke Fukudome, the Cubs’ incredibly popular new right fielder, may be new to baseball in the United States, but in his home country of Japan he’s been known for some time as a very talented athlete. In 1996 at the age of 19, Fukudome became the youngest- ever player to be chosen for an Olympic baseball team and helped his team to win the silver medal that year in the Atlanta Olympics. He has received four Golden Glove awards in the outfield, and in Japan in 2006 he hit .351 with 31 home runs and 104 RBI’s, winning the Central League MVP award. “Fukudome, Bring it Home” is a brand- new song written by Mark Harrod for this CD and features Pat Hughes of WGN Radio 720 and Len Kasper of WGN-TV. One evening after a game, Pat and Len were kind enough to record multiple takes of their voices to add specifically to the song.  The song, written and performed by Mark Harrod, also highlights the chant fans shouted for Fukudome at spring training, “K-Fu!”. When Fukudome first arrived at spring training, “K-Fu” was one of the nicknames he said he has been referred to in the past and wouldn’t mind if people used again. Here are the lyrics to “Fukudome, Bring it Home.”

In lieu of any fee for their co-operation in the making of this song, Kosuke Fukudome and his business team allowed Wind Chill development to make a donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in his name. CUB FANS TAKE NOTE: Not only can he play good baseball, but this is a good guy besides.

Chant: K-Fu. K-Fu. K-Fu. K-Fu.

Take me to Clark and Addison
Cover me in ivy
‘Cause we all know where we’ve been
And where we want to go again.
Been searching over seas and
Found a golden glove right fielder. He’s Japanese,
And I hear he lives to win.
‘Bout time we brought a dragon in.
Fukudome… bring it home
Fukudome… we’re counting on
Fukudome… <Pat Hughes> I really like this kid. I do.
Fukudome… Tell me you
Fukudome… hit home runs, too.
Fukudome… Life is great. Cubs win!!!
See they watch his every step
And record his every breath
Talk about his every move
And tell us what he’s going to do… I say
Take him to Clark & Addison
Cover him in ivy
Let time bring out the Cub in him
Now let’s go get a Series win.
Fukudome… bring it home
Fukudome… we’re counting on
Fukudome… <Len Kasper> Kosuke is one part of a great team.
Fukudome… Tell me you
Fukudome… hit home runs, too.
Fukudome… life is great. Cubs win!!!
I know it’s been 100 years.
I know it seems so long ago.
But now that there’s a dragon here
Let’s take care of that Billy goat.
Fukudome… you are home
Fukudome… you’re not alone
Fukudome… <Pat Hughes> Kosuke Fukudome has fit right in with this ball club.
Fukudome… Tell me you
Fukudome… hit home runs, too.
Fukudome… life is great. Cubs Win!!!
<Len Kasper> Kosuke just may put this team over the top.
Life is great. Cubs Win!!!
<Pat Hughes & Len Kasper> We should get used to saying that around here.


Here’s an excerpt from the biography of Mark Harrod:

Having an attitude that’s inviting to even the most timid of onlookers, Mark Harrod has lived and performed throughout the Midwest. As a singer-songwriter, Harrod’s musical past can be traced back to the shores of Lake Michigan at Oak Street Beach in Chicago, Illinois. In the summer of 2000, newly graduated from college and working downtown, Harrod found himself struggling to find the time to chase a boyhood dream of being a full-time musician. That August, a diving accident left Harrod with a broken vertebrate in his neck (vertebrae C2, the “hangman’s vertebrate”). After several months of rest and recovery, Harrod decided to commit himself to his music. With each passing year, Harrod’s dedication to his craft has grown and developed into a compilation of life stories and melodies that are his music.

In Harrod’s words, “The most significant turning point of my life happened in Chicago, and the bond I have with this city will never be broken. I found my voice here and am proud to have written a song for the 100th Anniversary of the Chicago Cubs World Series win. Maybe there’s a significant turning point on the horizon for this team.”

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