Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye – Steam | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#1 for 2 weeks); 1969
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
For the week of February 3, 1968 producer/songwriter Paul Leka’s latest creation, Green Tambourine by The Lemon Pipers, was the number one record in America. Other Pipers singles performed less impressively, and by the fall of 1969 Paul had only added a #31 single by the Peppermint Rainbow to his hits resume.
Next up was Gary DeCarlo with whom Paul had played in a Connecticut group called the Chateaus. With a number of A-sides in the can, Paul, Gary and another former Chateau, Dale Frashuer, resurrected a 1961 song of theirs –Kiss Him Goodbye – to use as a B-side.
Not wanting to risk competition with the surefire hit side of the single, Paul designed Goodbye for failure. He used a previously recorded drum track, added a chorus of nonsense “na’s” and “hey’s,” and faded the track before the song was over.
Surprisingly, the label execs liked it, and released Goodbye by a non-existent band, “Steam.” Goodbye, of course, went to #1, while all of Gary’s solo sides sunk without a trace.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Paul Leka
Lyrics Written by:
- Paul Leka
- Gary DeCarlo
- Dale Frashuer
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).