Norman Greenbaum was a bit of a one hit wonder… but what a hit that was.
“Spirit In The Sky” is a triumphant proclamation of faith in the afterlife, with a vibrant drum part, an exuberant distorted guitar part, and a rather upbeat vocal part.
The song isn’t about death as such, but more about a belief that death is only a stepping stone to a life beyond.
The song was released in 1969, and is very much in line with the sounds prevailing at the time, with a hard rock vibe.
Greenbaum started dairy farming after the song’s success, which is very wholesome indeed. He’s actually Jewish, which makes the Jesus references seem a bit incongruous, but he could have fooled me, such is the passion with which he preaches.
I’m not religious but Greenbaum’s joy is quite infectious…