Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye

A one-hit wonder with staying power, “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” was released as a throwaway B-side in 1969. It reached the top of the charts that December, unseating “Come Together” by the Beatles. Clearly, the vibraphone is pulling its weight here. In 1977, it was reborn as a sports anthem and victory song. Nancy Faust, the organist for the White Sox, made a tradition of taunting the opposing team when they pulled a pitcher out of the game. Fans joined in a sing-along, and it stuck. It has also been used to celebrate voting political foes out (or even anticipating that as a consequence, as with a chorus of Democrats jeering House Republicans in 2017 after passage of the American Health Care Act). Some may find this reaches a level of pettiness unsuitable for politics. I say, get stuffed. Compared to everything that has happened post-January 6 and the violence of the past month in particular, we could use a little pettiness.

Beyond its heckling appeal, “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” serves up a hearty portion of nostalgia for me. While not a top-shelf Garry Marshall film, Raising Helen (2004) was an instantly quotable go-to in our household. When Helen (Kate Hudson) sells an unsightly lime green Lincoln Town Car, she is awarded a ham (?) and dances out of the dealership to this song. My dad also used to sing it to me and my sister at bedtime, substituting “goodnight” for “goodbye” and, inadvertently, winding us up more.

My parents just sold our childhood home. So those memories are on my mind more than ever, along with summer evenings cheering on my dad in his softball league, hitting Clippers games for Dime-A-Dog Night, and watching The Sandlot on TV in our basement. Nancy Faust was definitely on to something.

Getting misty eyed? Check out this imaginative read on baseball (films) and nostalgia.

Visconti, John. “The One-Hit Wonder File: ‘Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye’.” CultureSonar, 26 Nov. 2020, https://www.culturesonar.com/the-one-hit-wonder-file-na-na-hey-hey-kiss-him-goodbye/. Accessed 1 July 2025.