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Napoleon XIV was the pseudonym of American songwriter and record producer Jerry Samuels (born 1938, New York), who achieved one-hit wonder status with the Top 5 hit novelty song "They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haaa!" in 1966.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Discography 2.1 Singles 2.2 Albums 2.3 Songs written by Jerry Samuels and recorded by others 2.4 Songs not written by Jerry Samuels 3 External links

Samuels became a professional songwriter by the age of 16. He co-wrote songs for Johnnie Ray such as "To Ev'ry Girl, To Ev'ry Boy (The Meaning Of Love)" (1954) and "The Only Girl I'll Ever Love" (1955). In 1956, he released a single himself, "Puppy Love". Samuels continued to work as a songwriter throughout this period, with his songs recorded by Ivory Joe Hunter, LaVern Baker, Adam Wade, The Impossibles, Doris Day, and The Chantels. The biggest hit to come out of a Samuels written song came in early 1964, when Sammy Davis Jr. reached number 17 on the U.S. pop singles chart with "The Shelter of Your Arms". He also tried recording again, this time under the names Jerry Simms or Jerry Sims (not to be confused with a different writer, Jerry Sims, who recorded for Buddy, Big Tyme or other labels) in 1959 and 1961 (his first try at a novelty record).

Then in 1966, Samuels concocted "They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haaa!". His nom de plume, Napoleon XIV, for this effort was a play on the names of two famous Frenchmen — the Emperor Napoleon I and King Louis XIV, although some in the public found out the true identity when Cousin Brucie of WABC in New York outed him.

Napoleon XIV continued to release music after the success of his one hit, including an album of the same name (reissued by Rhino in the mid 1980s). Most of which continued with the mental illness theme (for example, the single "Bats In My Belfry" or the track "Split Level Head," featuring different vocal parts in each stereo speaker). While he did not achieve any further mainstream success, Napoleon XIV has remained a cult favorite to this day.^{[citation needed]}

Samuels still writes songs and presently runs a business that books entertainment primarily for retirement homes.

• 1956 "Puppy Love" / "The Chosen Few" Vik 0197 (as by Jerry Samuels)
• 1959 "Dancing With A Memory" / "Dancing Partners" RCA Victor 7483 (as by Jerry Sims/Simms)
• 1961 "Good Luck Orville!" / "Treasure Supreme" (this B-side was written by Samuels) Dual 501 (as by Jerry Simms)
• 1966 "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" / "!aaaH-aH ,yawA eM ekaT oT gnimoC er'yehT" Warner Bros. 5831 (as by Napoleon XIV)
• 1966 "I'm In Love With My Little Red Tricycle" / "Doin' The Napoleon" Warner Bros. 5853 (as by Napoleon XIV)
• 1973 "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haa!" / "!aaH-aH ,yawA eM ekaT oT gnimoC er'yehT" Warner Bros. 7726 (as by Napoleon XIV)
• 1973 "I Owe A Lot To Iowa Pot" / "Who Are You To Tell Me Not To Smoke Marijuana" J.E.P. IP 1175 (as by Jerry Samuels) (both sides written by Samuels)
• 1974 "Can You Dig It?" / "This Is Planet Earth" Silver Blue SB 813 (as by Jerry Samuels) (both sides written by Samuels)
• 1976 "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haa! / "Photogenic, Schizophrenic You" Eric 195 (as by Napoleon XIV; aka Jerry Samuels)
• 1990 "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haa!" / "They're Coming To Get Me Again, Ha-Haaa!" Collectables 3859

Note: Napoleon's Rhino Records CD says that "Can You Dig It?" was recorded in 1968 for a second unissued LP, For God's Sake, Stop The Feces!. It also mentions that it was issued as a single in 1969. The actual single, however, states otherwise (1974).

• 1966 They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haaa! Warner Bros. LP W/WS 1661
  • Side One
    • "I'm In Love With My Little Red Tricycle"
    • "Photogenic, Schizophrenic You"
    • "Marching Off To Bedlam"
    • "Doin' The Napoleon"
    • "Let's Cuddle Up In My Security Blanket"
    • "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!"
  • Side Two
    • "Bats In My Belfry"
    • "Dr. Psyche, The Cut-Rate Head-Shrinker"
    • "I Live In A Split Level Head"
    • "The Nuts On My Family Tree"
    • "The Place Where The Nuts Hunt The Squirrels"
    • "I'm Happy They Took You Away, Ha-Haaa!" (by Josephine XV)
• 1985 (reissue of above on Rhino LP 816)
• 1996 The Second Coming Rhino / Wea, Rhino R2 72402
  • "Ode To A Farmer Boy" (New Recording 1995)
  • "The Explorer" (previously unreleased, recorded in 1968 for second unissued album, For God's Sake, Stop The Feces)
  • "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!"
  • "I'm In Love With My Little Red Tricycle"
  • "Photogenic, Schizophrenic You"
  • "Marching Off To Bedlam"
  • "Doin' The Napoleon"
  • "The Place Where The Nuts Hunt The Squirrels"
  • "Let's Cuddle Up In My Security Blanket"
  • "Goofin' On The Job" (New recording - 1995)
  • "Bats In My Belfry"
  • "Dr. Psyche, The Cut-Rate Head-Shrinker"
  • "I Live In A Split Level Head"
  • "I'm Happy They Took You Away, Ha-Haaa!" - Josephine XV (revealed in the liner notes to be portrayed by Bryna Raeburn)
  • "The Nuts On My Family Tree"
  • "I Owe A Lot To Iowa Pot" (New Recording - 1995, different from earlier single)
  • "Can You Dig It?"
  • "The Song I Wrote For Robert Goulet" (New recording - 1995)
  • "They're Coming To Get Me Again, Ha-Haaa!"
  • "It May Appear Ridiculous" (New recording - 1995)
  • "!aaaH-aH ,yawA eM ekaT oT gnimoC er'yehT" (unlisted bonus track)

Note that all tracks are the original released recordings unless otherwise stated.

• 1954 "To Ev'ry Girl, To Ev'ry Boy (The Meaning Of Love)" - Johnnie Ray - Columbia 4-40252 (Samuels-B. Parker)
• 1955 "The Only Girl I'll Ever Love" - Johnnie Ray - Columbia 4-40324 (Samuels-B. Parker-Feiler)
• 1956 "So Rich And Yet So Very Poor" - Tommy Mara - RKO Unique 377 (Samuels)
• 1957 "That's Why I Dream" - Ivory Joe Hunter - Atlantic 1095 (Samuels-Feiler-Feiler)
• 1957 "Miracles" - LaVern Baker - Atlantic 1163 (Samuels-Feiler-Feiler)
• 1960 "Speaking Of Her" - Adam Wade - Coed CO-536 (Samuels)
• 1963 "The Shelter Of Your Arms" - Sammy Davis Jr. - Reprise R-0216 (Samuels)
• 1964 "Paint Me A Pretty Picture" - The Impossibles - Reprise 0305 (Samuels)
• 1964 "A Whisper Away" - Doris Day (Samuels) originally intended for a single release, it went unreleased until 1995 as a bonus track on Columbia CD 481018 2
• 1965 "Courage" - Sammy Davis Jr. - Reprise 0416 (Jerry Samuels)
• 1965 "There's No Forgetting You" - The Chantels - TCF-Arrawak TCF-123 (S. Parker-J. Samuels)

Note that B. Parker is Barry Parker and S. Parker is Sol Parker, Barry's son. However, Sol Parker was the co-writer on the B. Parker listed sides (according to Samuels).^{[citation needed]}

• 1950 "Gimme A Pound O' Ground Round" - Ivory Joe Hunter - MGM 10733

Samuels has confirmed this is not him, though some CD sources say otherwise.

Of further note, the 1963 release by Ivory Joe Hunter, "There's No Forgetting You" (Smash 1860), is not the same song as the Samuels same titled composition as recorded by The Chantels. The Hunter song was written by Jay Piro (Joseph J. Pirozzi).

• Jerry Samuels website