Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) by Steam - Record Album (1969)

Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye

The Steam self-titled debut album, released in late 1969 on Mercury Records, was a studio-concocted project built entirely around the massive success of its titular hit single, which had unexpectedly topped the Billboard Hot 100. The band itself didn't actually exist as a touring entity when the song was recorded; instead, it was the creation of producer Paul Leka, Gary DeCarlo, and Dale Frashuer, who famously improvised the "Na Na Na" chant as a placeholder for lyrics they hadn't written yet. The resulting album is a fascinating mix of bubblegum pop, soulful rock, and experimental filler—most notably the lengthy, percussion-heavy instrumental "First Child"—designed to capitalize on a single that had been originally intended as a throwaway B-side. Despite the album's moderate sales compared to the single's multi-platinum status, it cemented the "Na Na Hey Hey" hook as a permanent fixture in global pop culture, eventually transitioning from a radio staple to the definitive anthem of sports stadium taunting. By the time the follow-up singles failed to gain traction in 1970, the "Steam" moniker was largely retired, leaving the album as a unique artifact of the late-60s "studio-only" band phenomenon.

Donation by: John Jr. & Carol Babina