Legendary Studio Drummer Celebrates 60 Years of Iconic Hit

Howard Farber's 1966 novelty song 'They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!' lives on through modern sampling

Apr. 13, 2026 at 6:08pm

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An extreme close-up of shattered glass from a disco ball, the jagged edges and sparkling fragments capturing the vibrant, high-energy spirit of the music industry.The iconic drum track from Howard Farber's 1966 novelty hit continues to inspire new generations of musicians.NYC Today

Veteran studio drummer and producer Howard Farber is marking the 60th anniversary of his iconic 1966 novelty hit song 'They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!', which he recorded under the name Napoleon XIV. The song was a Top 10 hit and sold over 1 million copies. Decades later, Farber discovered that the drum track from the original recording was sampled by Kanye West and Kid Cudi for their song 'Fire', which has accumulated hundreds of millions of streams.

Why it matters

Farber's story highlights the enduring impact and influence of classic recordings, even decades later, as well as the creative ways modern artists can reimagine and repurpose iconic sounds and rhythms. It also showcases Farber's remarkable longevity and continued relevance in the music industry.

The details

Farber performed all the drums, tambourines, and hand clapping on the original 1966 recording of 'They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!', which was written and performed by Jerry Samuels under the Napoleon XIV name. The song was a major hit, reaching the Top 10 and selling over 1 million copies. Decades later, Farber discovered that Kanye West and Kid Cudi, recording together as Kids See Ghosts, had sampled the original drum track for their song 'Fire', stripping away the vocals, sound effects, and other elements to use only Farber's drums and rhythms as the foundation.

  • The original 'They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!' was released in 1966.
  • Farber recently discovered the Kids See Ghosts sample of his drum track in 2026.

The players

Howard Farber

A veteran New York-based studio drummer and record producer who has been active since the 1960s, with production credits at United Artists, RCA, and Musicor. He is the founder and head of Farber Music Corporation, registered with ASCAP.

Jerry Samuels

The writer and performer of the 1966 novelty hit 'They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!' under the name Napoleon XIV.

Kanye West

A Grammy-winning rapper, producer, and one half of the duo Kids See Ghosts, who sampled Farber's drum track for the song 'Fire'.

Kid Cudi

A Grammy-winning rapper and the other half of the duo Kids See Ghosts, who collaborated with Kanye West on the song 'Fire' that sampled Farber's drum track.

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What they’re saying

“I couldn't believe it. They took my drums – nothing else – and built a whole new record around them. Not everyone gets to say they had two major hits sixty years apart.”

— Howard Farber, Studio Drummer and Producer

What’s next

Farber plans to continue his music career, joking that he'll 'need another hit' in 50 years when the 'They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!' anniversary comes around again.

The takeaway

Farber's story demonstrates the enduring legacy and creative potential of classic recordings, even decades later, as modern artists find new ways to sample and reimagine iconic sounds. It also highlights Farber's remarkable longevity and continued relevance in the music industry.