Steam (Ty Herndon song)

1999 single by Ty Herndon

"Steam"

Single by Ty Herndon
from the album  Steam
B-side| "Lookin' for the Good Life"
Released| August 9, 1999
Genre| Country
Length| 3:37
Label| Epic
Songwriter(s)| Lewis Anderson
Bob Regan
Producer(s)| Joe Scaife
Ty Herndon singles chronology
| "Hands of a Working Man"
(1999)  | "Steam"
(1999)  | "No Mercy"
(2000)

|
|

"Steam" is a song recorded by American country music artist Ty Herndon, with lyrics written by Lewis Anderson and Bob Regan. It was released in August 1999 as the lead single and title track from his fourth studio album, Steam. The song reached number 18 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, and peaked at number 19 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart as well as at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song received positive reviews, with particular praise for its suggestive lyrics.

## Background

[edit]

Herndon told Billboard that he originally had doubts about the song. "That is so not me, I'm so used to doing songs with a message to them. [Anthony Martin] told me, 'Well you're going to have to take a step back and make it you.'" He went on to call the song "one of those you put in your car CD player and let the windows down, it makes you feel alive and feel good. Sometimes you've got to just have a little fun."[1]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Maria Konicki Dinoia wrote for Allmusic that the song is part of a "feel-good music" album, and described its lyrics as suggestive.[2] Dan MacIntosh from Country Standard Time highlighted the song along with Herndon's cover version of "You Can Leave Your Hat On", originally by Randy Newman.[3] Craig Powers, program director of KIKF Los Angeles, described the song as "a sexy, provocative song [...] one that the audience goes nuts over".[1] Deborah Evans Price of Billboard commented that the song is a "left-of-center top 10 anthem of sexuality" when she reviewed Herndon's single "No Mercy".[4]

## Music video

[edit]

The music video was directed by Steven Goldmann and premiered in mid-1999.

## Chart performance

[edit]

"Steam" debuted at number 63 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for the week of August 21, 1999.

Chart (1999–2000)  | Peak
position

|

Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[5] | 19
US Billboard Hot 100[6] | 83
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[7] | 18

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Taylor, Chuck (December 18, 1999). "Country's Ty Herndon Heats Up Image With Hot Epic Nashville Single 'Steam'". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 51\. p. 92\. ISSN 0006-2510.
2. ^ Dinoia, Maria Konicki. "Steam – Ty Herndon". Allmusic. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
3. ^ MacIntosh, Dan. "Steam (Sony, 1999)". Country Standard Time. Archived from the original on March 18, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
4. ^ Price, Deborah Evans (January 8, 2000). "Singles". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 2\. pp. 20–21\. ISSN 0006-2510.
5. ^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 10016." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. January 10, 2000. Retrieved July 8, 2013.
6. ^ "Ty Herndon Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2013.
7. ^ "Ty Herndon Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2013.

* v
* t
* e

Ty Herndon

Studio albums|

* What Mattered Most
* Living in a Moment
* Big Hopes
* Steam
* Right About Now

Compilation albums|

* This Is Ty Herndon: Greatest Hits

Singles|

* "What Mattered Most"
* "I Want My Goodbye Back"
* "Heart Half Empty" (with Stephanie Bentley)
* "Living in a Moment"
* "She Wants to Be Wanted Again"
* "Loved Too Much"
* "I Have to Surrender"
* "A Man Holdin' On (To a Woman Lettin' Go)"
* "It Must Be Love"
* "Hands of a Working Man"
* "Steam"
* "No Mercy"
* "Heather's Wall"

Other songs|

* "I Know How the River Feels"
* "You Can Leave Your Hat On"
* "You Still Own Me"

Related articles|

* Discography

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template