10-March-2023, but I just caught the news
[Classic Bands for the writeup]
Jerry Samuels Dies: One of Pop Music's Most Unique One-Hit Wonders as
"Napoleon XIV"
Jerry Samuels, who as "Napoleon XIV" wrote and recorded one of pop music's
most unusual hit singles, 1966's "They're Coming to Take Me Away,
Ha-Haaa!," died today (March 10, 2023). Samuels, 84, had operated a
Philadelphia-based talent agency for the past four decades. News of his
passing was shared by his wife, Bobbie Samuels, on her Facebook page. "My
friends," she wrote, "Jerry died early this morning. He was my rock and
the greatest love of my life. He taught me to be strong."
Samuels, born May 3, 1938, was a recording engineer in New York City. He
came up with an idea: a song about a poor guy who's so distraught over his
girlfriend leaving him that he's driven to madness. He took on the name
Napoleon XIV, credited his composition to N. Bonaparte and somehow got
Warner Bros. Records to agree to release it in July 1966. With only a
snare drum and a tambourine as accompaniment, Samuels recites--never
sings--his tale of woe.
=====
rest:
https://bestclassicbands.com/jerry-samuels-obituary-napoleon-xiv-3-10-23/
_____________________________________________________
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
dan...@panix.com
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]
