Steam's Gary DeCarlo tells Tom about "Na Na, Hey Hey, Kiss Him Goodbye"

Steam recorded "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" as the B-side in 1969. It was just something to take up space. But it knocked The BeaTles' "Something"/"Come Together" out of the No. 1 spot on December 6, 1969. Gary DeCarlo, Paul Leko, and Dale Frasheur sang the song, and dubbed their voices for a fuller sound. The song had no guitar, no bass, and used a recorded drum loop, with a piano, organ and vibes. They used the name of Steam because they initially did not want their names identified with the song. Gary tells Tom how it all happened in the Fall of 1969.
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www.TomMeros.com

[@BrittneyCooper-yb3td]

Hi Tom. What a great interview with the late Gary DeCarlo. RIP 😢

[@patriciabutton558]

What a voice lovely guy RIP Gary xxxx

[@southsideman4891]

One song gave him a free meal ticket for 40 years - man, that is awesome!!!

[@gary36104]

Norman Greenbaum did alright too

[@puppycat58]

It's a privilege that u lived 10 minutes from me here in Branford, Ct...Your song 🎵 will never be not heard...it's iconic.. R.I.P. Gary DE Carlo

[@gailgreenwood6650]

I'm 61 in September 2023. When this was released I would of been 7 years of age xx I can still see myself sat on the school wall of Denton St Lawrence in the UK, listening to this xx Thanks for the wonderful legacy you have left xxx 😍😍😍

[@szqsk8]

I'm 63 years old but this song makes me feel like I'm 11 years old again dancing around my bedroom with my two younger sisters to this song. It never gets old.

[@lungflogger9]

I want it played at my funeral.....for a continuous 10 hrs.....

[@mickdeleon5072]

Seeing/hearing this song in the TV series "Kingdom Hospital", while they have a dead guy on the slab, is classic. I, too, wouldn't mind it being played at my funeral.

[@-Penny]

Hey ME TOO

[@christined2495]

Me too

[@calr541]

Rest in peace Gary! You and the guys provided a lot of fun times associated with your music.

[@veg4ev]

This is the catchiest song ever recorded. The organ with that xolophone sound really made this.

[@cjt0829]

Makes me feel soooooo old but those were truly the days of great rock and roll, the end of a decade when songs made you happy , sometimes sad, but never embarrassed. The song brings back fond memories and a tune that's universal.

[@HeavenBound1]

This was my first record I purchased back in 1969 as an 8-yr old kid. Mom have me a dollar and went to Action Records on Myrtle Av in Ridgewood NY and bought it for 69 cents. It's amazing to hear the story of the song. I never knew the background vocals were done by the lead and the two writers of the song - in double track. I guess I will never listen to this song the same way again - giving credit to the group STEAM for singing the backup - still a great tune!

[@digiderek123]

RIP Gary DeCarlo.

[@cheryldestras9148]

This is the voice of the “group” Steam...and the Co writer of the Classic Hit “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” Gary DeCarlo...Deserves all the credit for one of the best songs of all time...Cheers 🍾🥂♥️

[@tazdbs6992]

This was my High School’s 1970 graduating class song! Awesome song!

[@thetimemachine]

Gary was such a cool guy and I'm saddened by his passing. Mahalo for sharing this interview.

[@st.charlesstreet9876]

What a Fantastic accomplishment you have done! All over the world this song is sung over and over again and Still loved and admired the same way when it was first released! Thank You Sirs and I tip my hat to you. 😎🥳

[@Beatlecat1]

This is a song that everybody can sing, no matter how bad their voice is.

[@bridgetdoman1386]

Brilliant. Loved dancing to this. One of the best records ever and brings back great memories. Thanks.

[@bobstaurovsky3506]

The song was recorded in Bridgeport, Ct. then was Mastered at Mercury Records in New York.

[@DallasPix]

RIP Gary DeCarlo. No telling how many times I've watched this video. Thank you to Paul Leka, Gary DeCarlo and Dale Frashuer, for one huge, monumental song that'll be here indefinitely!!! Randy A Carlisle // Oldies DJ

[@ABBY-ml2rq]

Just classic universal gold.

[@diane189444]

Amazing I just adore this song and more than ever Gary....this song will be out forever. Thank you for this music xoxoxoxo

[@shortmeister4321]

Love and Peace to everyone still groovin'!!!

[@motowngirl5891]

Junior high, played this record over and over Such a fun happy song !!! Great memories

[@starlite33]

a rock and roll hit song without a bass or guitar on it? That's a real rarity.

[@mattkaustickomments]

starlite33, very rare. Dream Weaver and Mercedes Benz and Eleanor Rigby are other examples.

[@MidnightinSavannah]

In High School when I was in marching band we played this when the other team lost.

[@kenjoneslee]

remember hearing this when I was in grade school...very catchy still

[@BKDRIVES]

rip gary. great song. great memors

[@pusum6854]

Central High School - Bridgeport Connecticut - my cousin Matthew practiced with the band - he was a fill in drummer. I was only nine - what a song :)

[@curtweatherbee2523]

Love it ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@gk10002000]

With no exaggeration, this song has affected me my entire life since I first heard it in 1970. I had the old scratchy blue color label 45 that I used to play over and over again.

[@jillsimmons5089]

I feel exactly the same

[@eddiemiles52]

Gary.... You are truly amazing! Thanks for coming to WTBQ radio in New York!

[@therocktor212]

Hush of Deep Purple sung by Rod Evans opens: NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA .....

[@jctorontojctoronto]

rip gary thank you

[@majorwatt8146]

Great tune.. If you can't tap your foot and sing along with this song, you need to see a doctor...

[@DrHogfan]

First heard this when my Dad would take me to our home town High School basketball games not too long after this song came out. Yeah, the student section would sing this and wave at whoever fouled out of the game from the opponents team.

[@luggnutgaspar757]

I played with a retread of the "steam road band" in the '90's unfortunately Tommy, the lead vocalist of that group has passed singing all the way to the end. Quite a talented gathering of super pros.

[@charlapagano1852]

Sorry to hear about Gary's death

[@gmant478]

No guitar no bass amazing i never knew

[@Jack_Klash]

Childhood song..

[@GBS1043]

In 1969, at a suburban Cleveland radio station, WELW, a DJ named Ted Alexander, was the first to play Na Na on the air. The rest is history ... --- ...

[@oliveolajide480]

Loved this tune, it was a 'fave' at my house parties.

[@katactivist]

It's a great vocal!!

[@southsideman4891]

Amazing - no bass or guitar!! But they were playing that in the video!! You couldnt tell me that song didnt have those things.

[@aorsini6617]

In 1968 I came home late at night after a car accident and I'd left this 45 going and it was still endlessly chanting Na Na Na Na, Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey, Goodbye.......which freaked me out more than my concussion and my hands shredded with glass.

[@pudsuszikuuipo6131]

I was in Bora Bora last year and Na Na means goodbye in Tahitian. So Land of a Thousand Dances who originally used it must have travel there. Aloha❣️

[@jeffboettcher2531]

A little over ten years ago, read an article about this song, and it's pretty much what he said in this interview. Speaking of happy experiences, this was the answer to a question that won a woman $250,000 on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire nearly 20 years ago!

[@garytanguay9980]

Lot of memories from Bridgeport and Stratford Ct

[@jdthebooster]

December 6th, 1969 was also the date of Altamont as well as the #1vs#2 Arkansas/Texas game.

[@RaiderRSupastar]

Was born in 1971 love history those 2 events were American history. Altamont is talked not about much. I love this song 🎶 😎

[@RaiderRSupastar]

It became #1 on Billboard between The Beatles and The Supremes before the end of the 1960s it song sneaked on in there

[@steverobeson]

One of those "I was here / This is what I was doing / This is who I was with " songs. In my case it was a girl named Lisa that I had a crush on in the 8th grade in Bedford, OH. Thanks, Gary! I will always get on my feet, tap my toes, and smile! I'll carry this with me always. Steven J Robeson GySgt USMC(ret'd) Winchester, TN

[@scottabelli3406]

that was so great when I was in viet Nam

[@freddiefreihofer7716]

God Bless!

[@sirlawrencet]

From Bridgeport Connecticut like Robert Mitchum, and frisbees.

[@rickwright656]

WOW...Gr8 too hear this song again...it was 1969, ride along with my older sister, driving dad’s 1964 Chrysler Newport station wagon with “Push Button Shift”, and the 383, and she asked me to crank up the radio, (..oh yes, no $10,000 blaster speakers...) as the best radio station at the time "...CKLW..." Canadian radio station in AM no FM stereo (...it would have done no good since the blue beast had only one speaker...) or cassette tapes, and barely any 8-track systems, then she and I would sing along....I asked her the true meaning of this song, as she put it, “...all to the Vietnam-War”, I was 10 yrs old then,and so many songs were about the war, Mick Jagger- Rolling Stones, “...Paint it Black...” was another sad song, but with a real meaning at the time....Just in a flash, the GMC commercial for their trucks, just thru me back 50+ years, to a time being with my sister in that 64 station wagon, just cruzing the streets....SR...

[@ruyjose6015]

\®/Salute do Brasil 😀 Song of my life in the beautiful 70s!!!

[@barski1960thomas]

Great video.

[@debbiemadden4372]

We used it as cheer at football games in the early 70s

[@LeeLeeWilliams-1908]

6:20 mark Gary was jamming!!! 💃🏽

[@lulutoyou2879]

Every football win in highschool

[@cosmodave69]

RIP Gary enjoy my original music

[@kennethcurtis1856]

Yes! You can put that on the board!

[@nwchrista]

Bit of trivia about this song...It replaced The Beatles "Come Together" as the number one song in America. And for decades, whenever the Chicago White Sox won a game, the crowd broke into this song to jeer the losers.

[@emilymalden3310]

I never knew the fans sang it to the losing team. I am from Chicago, and remember how popular it was!

[@carolfrysinger9053]

That's cool. That was really good judgment!

[@lulutoyou2879]

Every win at Major League Baseball game

[@gkprivate433]

i heard the "band" name came from them leaving the recording late at night and it was cold out. Steam comes up from the sewer man hole covers

[@smwca123]

Should be a hit in Washington on January 20, 2021.

[@georgebelmares9774]

In fact it was to donald trump

[@donalddixon6541]

He sure changed his story about the song after it became a big hit, he didn't even like the song at first and didnt want his name on it...........

[@MrKeeft1]

It`ll live forever...so another one off...bananarama loved a muck about....never meant seriously, I liked em..

[@rahatalom9904]

0:10

[@gk10002000]

I heard Steam name came from the night they left the recording studio and steam was coming up from the manhole cover

[@raymondgarafano8604]

Been lisnin to this when I was 14 years old 69, 51 years later, still lisnin to it! wanna do it on Piano. I did a comic of Ted Bundy getting the chair and a Kenwood KR6030 stereo feeding into 2 great speakers playing ur song as Ted Bundy's balls sizzle!

[@sunnydaysatl]

I wonder how he feels that’s this song it’s playing all day cause of the election n Biden victory.

[@theearl1477]

Sorry Trump already owns the rights