Napoleon XIV - RIP

Napoleon XIV aka Jerry Samuels was the genius behind the 1966 hit "They're Coming To Take Me Away Ha Haaa!" , he was also a talented song writer giving Sammy Davis Jr. a top 20 hit in 1964 but "They're Coming To Take Me Away Ha Haaa!" was his crowning glory , it was also a creditable achievement given the recording technology of the time and it's a song I've loved since childhood.


Jerry Samuels stayed musically active throughout his life but sadly died in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania March 10th from complications due to Parkinson's disease dementia , he was 84.

Here's a more recent Jerry Samuels original , "Who are You to Tell Me Not to Smoke Marijuana"


RIP Napoleon.

I liked the song....I never found it offensive.
At all!

RIP

a reply to: gortex

I was a kid the first time I heard They're coming to take me away. It got stuck in my head.

Looks like Carole King and Dionne Warwick also recorded songs written by him.

Distinctly Warped Voice of a 1960s Novelty Songwriter Is Silenced in King of Prussia

My dog is in hiding now after hearing it

Might be the first artist I heard through Dr. Demento’s syndicated show.
RIP XIV.

I always thought he used helium to get his voice to sound like that in the refrains.

It would have been technically difficult then to do that unless he did the refrains in a slower tempo and then sped the tape up, which is difficult still.

RIP, and always liked that song and it brings back old memories of time and place.