Those who saw my post titled Just For Laughs yesterday will fully understand why this song has been in my head since early yesterday afternoon, and why I am playing it for this morning’s music post!
This is a song written and recorded by Paul Leka, Gary DeCarlo and Dale Frashuer, attributed to a then-fictitious band they named “Steam”. It was released under the Mercury subsidiary label Fontana and became a number one pop single on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1969, and remained on the charts in early 1970.
Leka, DeCarlo and Frashuer wrote a blues shuffle version of the song in the early 1960s when they were members of a doo-wop group from Bridgeport, Connecticut, called the Glenwoods, the Citations, and the Chateaus, of which Leka was the piano player. The group disbanded when Leka talked Frashuer into going into New York City with him to write and possibly produce. In 1968, DeCarlo recorded four songs at Mercury Records in New York with Leka as producer. The singles impressed the company’s executives, who wanted to issue all of them as A-side singles. In need of a B-side, Leka and DeCarlo resurrected an old song from their days as the Glenwoods, Kiss Him Goodbye, with their old bandmate, Frashuer.
According to Paul Leka …
“I said we should put a chorus to it to make it longer. I started writing while I was sitting at the piano going ‘na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na’… Everything was ‘na na’ when you didn’t have a lyric.”
The song reached #1 in the U.S., #6 in Canada, and #9 in the UK.
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
Steam
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
He’ll never love you, the way that I love you
‘Cause if he did, no no, he wouldn’t make you cry
He might be thrillin’ baby but a-my love
(My love, my love)
So dog-gone willin’, so kiss him
(I wanna see you kiss him, wanna see you kiss him)
Go on and kiss him goodbye, now
Na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Listen to me now
He’s never near you to comfort and cheer you
When all those sad tears are fallin’ baby from your eyes
He might be thrillin’ baby but a-my love
(My love, my love)
So dog-gone willin’, so kiss him
(I wanna see you kiss him, I wanna see you kiss him)
Go on and kiss him goodbye, na na na na, na na na
Na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Dale Frashuer / Gary De Carlo / Paul Leka
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Filosofa's Word 
Great too much to drink, too late at night, dancing song. Thanks, Jill.
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Too much to drink and dancing do not make a good combination for those of who have balance issues! 🤕
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Yes, for the rest of us though it is heartbreak morning tme.
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🤪
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😊
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This song is used everywhere as a paean (pain) to the losing side of any battle, and the Jimmy Kimmel version was absolutely hilarious. Poor Donnie. But truth be told, I like my Mickey Mouse Club parody way better as a farewell to The Donald.
As for Steam, this song is the only recording I ever heard of theirs. I wonder what the 4 A sides were supposed to be.
Guess I go go check Wikipedia, lol.
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Well, Jill, thank you for another trip down memory lane. Looking for other songs by Steam, I found a song, I’ve Cried a Million Tears, which I thought I remembered, but when I played it, yuck, it was just a remake of Kiss Him Goodbye, only different. So what song was I thinking of? Wait a Million Years, by the Grass Roots. I had forgotten all about all the hits the Grass Roots had, other than the only one I ever hear anymore, Live for Today, which I love. But what about Where We’re You When I Needed You? Temptation Eyes? Midnight Confessions? Bella Linda? Two Divided by Love? Sooner or Later? and more! What a trip! Thanks, Jill. And thanks, Ellen.
Now I’m wondering what other songs, what other bands I’ve forgotten. Gary Puckett and the Union Gap! Tommy James and the Shondells! Tommy Roe, kinda. Even Gary Lewis and the Playboys! Dino, Dezi, and Billy! Wow, the lust goes on forever!
But Steam, a one hit wonder, I think.
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The lust goes on forever. How true, that was a typo, not Spelchek. But I do lust for good music. I can never get enough!
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Oh … I thought you were going to say you were thinking of “96 Tears” by ‘? and the Mysterians’. The Grass Roots … been eons since I’ve thought about them or heard anything about them. I’m glad you enjoyed your trip down memory lane! Oooohhhh … you’ve tossed out some ideas there! Thanks!
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Lol.
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Ah … I didn’t realize this was a tribute to the losing side, and now it’s even more perfect!
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More of a pityfest than a tribute, but yeah, it fits the Donald beautifully.
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Ah, yes!!!! I like this one, too!!!! Brings back memories, for sure!
Hope you’re having a good day! 💙
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I’m so glad you liked it! The day is peaceful … that’s enough for me! ❤
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Quite possibly one of the dullest, least imaginative songs ever to hit the charts! It was covered here in the 80s by the girl group Bananarama, which gave DJs a challenge if they put the group name and song title together. Their version wasn’t any better, though 😉
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So … you really loved this one, eh? 😄 Yes, I can see where trying to say the Bananarama and this song title together could be a tongue twister!
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It was around the time I was getting into rock and singer-songwriters, so stuff like this one was a total no-no for me!
The combination made idiots of several smooth talking DJs 😊
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It’s funny how the memory can play tricks. I remember this (in my head) as a much stronger song, more oomph. I like it more in my head I think.
Cwtch
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This was actually a different production from the original, if the story be true. The record in the video had it as the A side, but according to the story it was on the B side. The video also shows an actual band, whereas the story has 3 musicians playing it.
Yeah, I too noticed it was very downbeat, as compared to what I was used to.
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I think you’re right and I must not have gotten the best possible version.
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I still heard the version David wanted in my mind, if not in my ears.
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Y’know … I said the same last night when I played this … I remembered it as being a much stronger song. Perhaps there is a better version than the one I picked.
Cwtch
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Oh the memories of this song! In HS soccer was the big sport and at every soccer game if we won we would be singing the chorus of this song to the other team at the end of the game. 🙂
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Glad to have taken you on a trip down { way down } memory lane, my friend! 😊
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Your songs are good at that!
If you need some laughs, Jason shared another story on my blog, “Mason’s Prank”.😄
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Went there, read the one before Jason’s for the background, and loved that story. Then I read Jason’s and while he is an excellent writer and humourist, I liked the original story best!
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Oh yes
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😊
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