There's that song by Steam called "Na Na Hey Hey(Kiss Him Goodbye)", a big one hit wonder from 1969 or so. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsaTElBljOE Played at White Sox games and elsewhere during sporting events as a taunt at the opposing team. Listen to this song when you get a moment. Pay particular attention to the drums. What's up with all the fills? I'm thinking, this guy is just chomping at the bit, waiting for his solo. But then...once the break shows up after 2:41 or so, it's like, dude, here's your chance to go full out off into the deep end and instead, well...it's a letdown, man. It's just the music from the verses with the vocals turned down. Studio trickery.
Here's the album cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaG2Acg8n60. Hey, what's with the thermometer? It's over 350 degrees!! Their manager stuck them in a sauna to try to sweat some more hits out of them. Seriously, would it be worth it to seek out any other songs by this band? I just listened to some samples on amazon, and there are at least two or three other songs that sound like this one. The other ones sound like the Foundations or Fifth Dimension. Here's a nice cover version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e5hqzuudU0. Dude does a nice job. Even attempts the fills on his drum machine. Well, if I go any deeper into the story and music of Steam, I might suffer permanent damage to my mental state.
Uh-oh...A day later and I'm still at it. I feel OK so far. The story of Steam is really confusing! Briefly, the only album released by Steam is called Steam. The song titles are ultra-generic, "I've Gotta Make You Love Me", "Come On Back And Love Me", and "I'm The One Who Loves You". Must have been an inspiration for Air Supply. Anyway, where was I...let's talk about the 'band', for there were essentially two bands: one that recorded the songs for Mercury Records, and one that played the songs in public (and didn't care if they looked ridiculous on television). Studio Steam consisted of former members of the Chateaus, a group from Bridgeport, CT, who had recorded songs in the early 60s. I suppose as they were getting on in years and more refined and highbrow, they did not approve of Na Na being released as a single. They weren't too embarrassed to leave their names off the song credits, but decided to release the music under the name Steam. When surprise surprise, it became a hit, one of the Studio Steam members put together the fearless public face of Steam.
One of the songwriters, Paul Leka, has some other interesting production credits: 'Green Tambourine' for the Lemon Pipers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klYXLevbgq8 and 'Will You Be Staying After Sunday', or 'Will You be Staying on Monday' according to wikipedia, for a group called the Peppermint Rainbow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9puwHRXo6Zo. As you can see, it's just one big 60s cheesefest everywhere you look! Outstanding. But that's enough of that.
Hmmm...according to wikipedia, following the terrorist attacks, the song was placed on the list of post-9/11 inappropriate titles distributed by Clear Channel. Bizarre corporate fascists.
Here's the album cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaG2Acg8n60. Hey, what's with the thermometer? It's over 350 degrees!! Their manager stuck them in a sauna to try to sweat some more hits out of them. Seriously, would it be worth it to seek out any other songs by this band? I just listened to some samples on amazon, and there are at least two or three other songs that sound like this one. The other ones sound like the Foundations or Fifth Dimension. Here's a nice cover version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e5hqzuudU0. Dude does a nice job. Even attempts the fills on his drum machine. Well, if I go any deeper into the story and music of Steam, I might suffer permanent damage to my mental state.
Uh-oh...A day later and I'm still at it. I feel OK so far. The story of Steam is really confusing! Briefly, the only album released by Steam is called Steam. The song titles are ultra-generic, "I've Gotta Make You Love Me", "Come On Back And Love Me", and "I'm The One Who Loves You". Must have been an inspiration for Air Supply. Anyway, where was I...let's talk about the 'band', for there were essentially two bands: one that recorded the songs for Mercury Records, and one that played the songs in public (and didn't care if they looked ridiculous on television). Studio Steam consisted of former members of the Chateaus, a group from Bridgeport, CT, who had recorded songs in the early 60s. I suppose as they were getting on in years and more refined and highbrow, they did not approve of Na Na being released as a single. They weren't too embarrassed to leave their names off the song credits, but decided to release the music under the name Steam. When surprise surprise, it became a hit, one of the Studio Steam members put together the fearless public face of Steam.
One of the songwriters, Paul Leka, has some other interesting production credits: 'Green Tambourine' for the Lemon Pipers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klYXLevbgq8 and 'Will You Be Staying After Sunday', or 'Will You be Staying on Monday' according to wikipedia, for a group called the Peppermint Rainbow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9puwHRXo6Zo. As you can see, it's just one big 60s cheesefest everywhere you look! Outstanding. But that's enough of that.
Hmmm...according to wikipedia, following the terrorist attacks, the song was placed on the list of post-9/11 inappropriate titles distributed by Clear Channel. Bizarre corporate fascists.
No comments:
Post a Comment