“They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!” is a 1966 novelty song written and performed by Jerry Samuels under the pseudonym Napoleon XIV. The song’s lyrics depict a man seemingly speaking to his ex-girlfriend and describing his descent into madness after she left him, announcing his impending committal to a psychiatric hospital. In a twist, it is later revealed that the man is not addressing a woman, but instead a runaway dog.

The song became an instant hit in the United States, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; however, the song had a short chart run due to backlash from those who felt the song was ridiculing the mentally ill, leading radio stations to stop playing it.

The composition and structure of “They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!” was unique for a hit of the time period, consisting of nothing but spoken-word vocals, drums, tambourine, hand claps, and siren sound effects. The vocals are notably pitch-shifted during the choruses to further illustrate the protagonist’s insanity, which Samuels achieved by manipulating the recording speed of his vocal track. Samuels has said that the composition was inspired by the traditional Scottish song “The Campbells Are Coming”.