The first single Samuels made was in the late 1950s and was called "Puppy Love". As Napoleon XIV, Samuels recorded an album of insanity-themed novelty songs: "Bats in my Belfry," "I'm Happy I Live in a Split Level Head," "I Live in a Place Where The Nuts Hunt the Squirrels," and a hilarious answer to the would-be hit single – billed to "Josephine XV," told from the dog's celebratory point of view, and called "I'm Happy They Took You Away!". This set was re-released by Rhino Records in the mid-1980s.
Samuels achieved no further mainstream success, bombing with a follow-up to "They're Coming To Take Me Away," called "They're Coming to Get Me Again!". However Samuels co-wrote the Sammy Davis, Jr. song "The Shelter Of Your Arms". Napoleon XIV has remained a cult favorite to this day and is often identified with the Dr. Demento radio program.
Samuels presently runs a business that books entertainment primarily for retirement homes.
They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haaa!
Napoleon XIV Lyrics
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And I got on my knees
And begged you not to leave
Because I'd go beserk
Well you left me anyhow
And then the days got worse and worse
And now you see I've gone
And they're coming to take me away ha-haaa
They're coming to take me away ho-ho hee-hee ha-haaa
To the funny farm
Where life is beautiful all the time
And I'll be happy to see those nice young men
In their clean white coats
And they're coming to take me away ha-haaa
You thought it was a joke
And so you laughed
You laughed when I said
That losing you would make me flip my lid
Right?
You know you laughed
I heard you laugh, you laughed
You laughed and laughed and then you left
But now you know I'm utterly mad
And they're coming to take me away ha-haaa
They're coming to take me away ho-ho hee-hee ha-haaa
To the happy home with trees and flowers and chirping birds
And basket weavers who sit and smile and twiddle their thumbs and toes
And they're coming to take me away ha-haaa
I cooked your food
I cleaned your house
And this is how you pay me back
For all my kind unselfish, loving deeds
Ha! Well you just wait
They'll find you yet and when they do
They'll put you in the A.S.P.C.A.
You mangy mutt
And they're coming to take me away ha-haaa
They're coming to take me away ha-haaa ho-ho hee-hee
To the funny farm where life is beautiful all the time
And I'll be happy to see those nice young men
In their clean white coats
And they're coming to take me away
To the happy home with trees and flowers and chirping birds
And basket weavers who sit and smile and twiddle their thumbs and toes
And they're coming to take me away ha-haaa!
The lyrics of Napoleon XIV’s “They’re Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haaa!” are both humorous and unsettling, delving into the topic of mental illness and its effects on the relationships we hold with those closest to us. The song begins with a man lamenting over the fact that his significant other has left him, resulting in his gradually declining mental state. He eventually reaches a breaking point and is committed to a mental institution by “nice young men in their clean white coats.”
The lyrics highlight the stigma surrounding mental illness during the time the song was released in the 1960s. Mental health was not something that was openly discussed, and those who had been institutionalized were often considered “crazy” or “mad.” The man in the song is depicted as delusional and paranoid, which were common misconceptions associated with mental illness during that time.
The chorus of the song is both catchy and disturbing, with its repetition of “They’re coming to take me away ha-haaa” followed by “To the funny farm, where life is beautiful all the time.” The idea that a mental institution was considered a “funny farm” underscores the lack of understanding and empathy surrounding mental illness during that period.
Overall, the lyrics of the song present a dark yet comical view of mental illness and the way it was perceived during the 1960s.
Line by Line Meaning
Remember when you ran away
I remember the time when you left me
And I got on my knees
I begged you to stay with me on my knees
And begged you not to leave
I pleaded with you not to abandon me
Because I'd go beserk
I warned you of what would happen if you left
Well you left me anyhow
You left regardless of my pleas
And then the days got worse and worse
Life became more unbearable without you by my side
And now you see I've gone
As you can see, I am now completely insane
Completely out of my mind
I have lost my sanity completely
And they're coming to take me away ha-haaa
I know the authorities are coming to put me in an institution
They're coming to take me away ho-ho hee-hee ha-haaa
I cannot escape their grasp and will be taken away
To the funny farm
I am being taken away to a mental institution
Where life is beautiful all the time
I will be unable to comprehend my surroundings in my unstable mental state
And I'll be happy to see those nice young men
I welcome the company of the caretakers who are trained to help me
In their clean white coats
The caretakers wear white lab coats, signifying their role as medical personnel
You thought it was a joke
You didn't believe the gravity of my warning
And so you laughed
You found my mental breakdown to be humorous
You laughed when I said
You found my warning to be comical
That losing you would make me flip my lid
You underestimated the emotional impact your departure would have on me
Right?
You know this to be true
You know you laughed
You did not take me seriously, and laughed at me
I heard you laugh, you laughed
I distinctly remember hearing you laugh at my distress
You laughed and laughed and then you left
You left once you found my announcement amusing, without realizing the gravity of my mental state
But now you know I'm utterly mad
You now realize the severity of my mental breakdown
To the happy home with trees and flowers and chirping birds
I will be moved to an asylum with calming sights and sounds
And basket weavers who sit and smile and twiddle their thumbs and toes
The asylum will have various activities for me to occupy myself with
I cooked your food
I provided for and treated you kindly
I cleaned your house
I took care of you and looked after your living space
And this is how you pay me back
You repaid my kindness with abandonment and ridicule
For all my kind unselfish, loving deeds
I did everything for you selflessly and with great care
Ha! Well you just wait
You will face the consequences of your actions
They'll find you yet and when they do
The authorities will not let you get away with what you did
They'll put you in the A.S.P.C.A.
You will be held accountable for your mistreatment of me
You mangy mutt
I have lost my mind and am now resorting to using harsh language to describe you
To the funny farm where life is beautiful all the time
I am being institutionalized and will continuously be confined to an unfathomable reality
And I'll be happy to see those nice young men
I welcome the company of the caretakers who are trained to help me
In their clean white coats
The caretakers wear white lab coats, signifying their role as medical personnel
And they're coming to take me away
The authorities will be arriving soon to move me to the institution
To the happy home with trees and flowers and chirping birds
I will be moved to an asylum with calming sights and sounds
And basket weavers who sit and smile and twiddle their thumbs and toes
The asylum will have various activities for me to occupy myself with
And they're coming to take me away ha-haaa!
I cannot escape my fate and will be taken away soon
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: JERRY SAMUELS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mindyleazott363
Growing up with a mentally ill sister, this song has been with me for 61 years! She is older than me, however I have taken care of her my whole life!!!
@camarossdriver
I remember my step brother and I as kids rolling a doobie and listening to this tune over and over…I haven’t been the same since.
@user-gk7ci4oq3y
LOL and LOUDER...
@lloydpenfold486
RIP Napoleon XlV (Jerry Samuels), died March 10 2023 from Parkinson’s disease. He was 84.
@punkaganda
That's sad. Rest In Peace Jerry 🕊
@debbieschmidling8158
😢
@pinedelgado4743
Today (1/17/2024) is the first time I'm hearing of Mr. Samuels' passing. OMG. Thank you for providing us with all the laughs Napoleon XIV!!
@PaulLyon-sj6gi
rip
@mtxmind
Just found out he passed away.
RIP Jerry, where life is beautifuel all the time.....
@tinapetre
As someone with severe mental illness that is thankfully well managed now, I can say that I have been in this mental state while in a state of severe mental distress. Thank god for my psych meds