Paul Leka

Paul Leka was an American songwriter, arranger, and orchestrator. He grew up in Connecticut and played piano as a child. He played with a group called The Chateaus, who recorded some sides for Warner Bros. Records in the 1960s, but soon gave up performing for production and arranging work. He wrote hits for The Lemon Pipers (for whom he wrote "Green Tambourine"), The Peppermint Rainbow, The Left Banke, and Steam, which featured two of his bandmates from The Chateaus, and who scored a multiplatinum hit with the Leka-penned "Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)". Leka worked in the industry into the 1980s, writing and arranging for artists such as Jimmie Spheeris, Harry Chapin, REO Speedwagon, Lori Lieberman, and Gloria Gaynor.