Napoleon XIV
Napoleon XIV | |
|---|---|
Samuels in 1966 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jerrold Laurence Samuels |
| Also known as | Jerry Samuels |
| Born | May 3, 1938 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | March 10, 2023 (aged 84) Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | Comedy, novelty |
| Occupations |
|
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1956–2021 |
| Labels | Warner Bros., Needlejuice |
Jerrold Laurence Samuels (May 3, 1938 – March 10, 2023) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and talent agent. Under the pseudonym Napoleon XIV, he achieved one-hit wonder status with the #3 hit novelty song "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" in 1966. Samuels occasionally revisited the Napoleon XIV character to record other songs, usually comedy records with an insanity theme.
Under the name Scott David (his son's name), he cowrote "As If I Didn't Know" with Larry Kusik, a top-10 hit for Adam Wade in 1961. Samuels also wrote "The Shelter of Your Arms", a top-20 hit for Sammy Davis Jr. in 1964.