Napoleon XIV

Napoleon XIV
Napoleon XIV
Birth name Jerry Samuels
Born May 3, 1938 (1938-05-03) (age 73)
Origin New York, United States
Genres Comedy, novelty
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1966–present
Labels Warner Bros. Records

Napoleon XIV was the pseudonym of the American singer-songwriter and record producer Jerry Samuels (born 3 May 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. Samuels also wrote The Shelter of Your Arms, a top 20 hit for Sammy Davis, Jr. in 1964.

Contents

Biography

In 1966, Samuels concocted "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" while working at Associated Recording Studios in New York. The public found out his true identity when Cousin Brucie of WABC outed him. The record quickly climbed the charts, reaching the Top Ten nationally in just its third week on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at #3 and sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[1]

The success of the single inspired a Warner Bros. album of the same name in 1966 (reissued by Rhino in 1985), most of which continued with the mental illness theme (for example: "Bats In My Belfry" and "Split Level Head" which features different vocal parts in each stereo speaker). A second single of two recordings from that album was relatively unnoticed.

Currently, Samuels works as a singer and agent who books various performers. He works the Delaware Valley area.

Discography

Singles

  • 1966 "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" / "!aaaH-aH ,yawA eM ekaT oT gnimoC er'yehT" Warner Bros. (5831)
  • 1966 "I'm In Love With My Little Red Tricycle" / "Doin' The Napoleon" Warner Bros. (5853)
  • 1973 "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haa!" / "!aaH-aH ,yawA eM ekaT oT gnimoC er'yehT" Warner Bros. (WB 7726) (re-issue of WB 5831)
  • 1990 "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haa!" (1966 recording) / "They're Coming To Get Me Again, Ha-Haaa!" Collectables (3859)

Albums

  • 1966 They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! Warner Bros. LP W 1661/WS 1661

Side 1

  • "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 2

  • "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)

NOTE: The backwards version of the album title track does not appear on either the original or reissue albums, although the backwards title is listed on the front cover.

  • 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" (Recorded in 1968)
    • "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
    • "The Nuts On My Family Tree"
    • "I Owe A Lot To Iowa Pot" (New Recording - 1995)
    • "Can You Dig It?" (Recorded in 1968)
    • "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)

References

  1. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. pp. 208–209. ISBN 0-214-20512-6. 

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Napoleon XIV — Chartplatzierungen Erklärung der Daten Singles They re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha Haaa!   US 3 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Napoleon in popular culture — Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French, has become a worldwide cultural icon symbolizing strength, genius, and military and political power. Since his death, countless towns, streets, ships, and even cartoon characters have been named after… …   Wikipedia

  • Napoléon Louis Bonaparte — Napoleon bezeichnet folgende Herrscher und Adlige: Napoléon Bonaparte (Napoleon I.), Kaiser der Franzosen von 1804 bis 1814/15 Napoleon Franz Bonaparte (für Bonapartisten Napoleon II.), der Sohn Napoleons I. Napoléon III., Kaiser der Franzosen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Napoleon (Begriffsklärung) — Napoleon bezeichnet folgende Herrscher und Adlige: Napoleon Bonaparte, Kaiser der Franzosen von 1804 bis 1814/15 (Napoleon I.) Napoleon Franz Bonaparte, Sohn von Napoleon I. (für Bonapartisten Napoleon II.) Louis Napoléon Bonaparte, von 1806 bis… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Napoleon (disambiguation) — Contents 1 People 1.1 Bonaparte family 1.2 Other people 2 …   Wikipedia

  • Napoléon (homonymie) — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Napoléon est, dans le monde francophone, un prénom masculin (dont le féminin est Napoléone), que l empereur des Français …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Napoleon — Napoléon Ier « Napoléon » redirige ici. Pour les autres significations, voir Napoléon (homonymie) et Bonaparte …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Napoleon 1 — Napoléon Ier « Napoléon » redirige ici. Pour les autres significations, voir Napoléon (homonymie) et Bonaparte …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Napoleon Bonaparte — Napoléon Ier « Napoléon » redirige ici. Pour les autres significations, voir Napoléon (homonymie) et Bonaparte …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Napoleon Ier — Napoléon Ier « Napoléon » redirige ici. Pour les autres significations, voir Napoléon (homonymie) et Bonaparte …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”