THEY’RE COMING TO TAKE ME AWAY, HA-HAAA! (Kim Fowley)
“They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!” is a 1966 novelty record by Jerry Samuels, and released under the name Napoleon XIV on Warner Bros. Records. The song became an instant success in the United States, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 popular music singles chart on 13 August and reaching No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart. Kim Fowley released a cover of the song as his second single, after “The Trip”. (More from Wikipedia)
Kim Fowley’s follow-up single to “The Trip” was a cover of the bizarre novelty song “They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!” that made the charts. The original version of “They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!” was recorded in 1966 by Napoleon XIV, the pseudonym of Jerry Samuels. The lyrics include just about every pejorative and urban legend ever applied to the mentally ill: berserk, flip my lid, funny farm, men in white coats, basket weavers, maniacal laughter, etc. The song climbed to #3 on the charts but then plummeted almost out of the Top 40 just two weeks later after radio stations quit playing the record because of its offensive lyrics.
(January 2015/1)
