Napoleon XIV

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Napoleon XIV was the pseudonym of record producer Jerry Samuels (b 1938 New York City) who had moderate success with the song "They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haaa!", released in 1966 (reaching #4 on the UK Singles Chart that year). The song deals with mental illness brought about by the lover of the vocalist leaving him and was controversial at the time for its willingness to confront the subject directly—albeit humorously:

Remember when you ran away and I got on my knees and begged you not to leave because I'd go berserk? Well, you left me anyhow, and then the days got worse and worse, and now you see I've gone completely out of my mind!...

Napoleon XIV continued to release music after "They're Coming To Take Me Away", including an album of the same name (reissued by Rhino in the mid-80's). 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.

Samuels presently runs a business that books entertainment primarily for retirement homes.

[edit] Trivia

As Jerry Samuels,the first single he made was in the late 50s and was called "Puppy Love".
Samuels was co-writer of the Sammy Davis, Jr. song "The Shelter of Your Arms".