“Spirit in the Sky” (Norman Greenbaum)

Today’s classic 1970 song of the day is instantly recognizable by its opening guitar riff. “Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum was released in January of 1970 and peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Cash Box Top 100. It also hit #1 in Australia, Canada, Ireland, West Germany, and the U.K.

“Spirit in the Sky” was ostensibly a religious song with lots of references to Jesus. However, Norman Greenbaum, the guy who wrote and sang it, was Jewish. So take of that what you will. Greenbaum later told a reporter that he was inspired to write the tune after watching country artist Porter Wagoner singing a gospel song on TV. In his words:

“I thought, ‘Yeah, I could do that,’ knowing nothing about gospel music, so I sat down and wrote my own gospel song. It came easy. I wrote the words in 15 minutes.”

Whatever the inspiration, the track was a worldwide hit. Greenbaum had originally arranged the song for acoustic jug band, then he did a folk version, then he played it in a Delta blues style, but nothing clicked until he pulled out his Fender Telecaster with its custom overdrive circuit. That was what the song needed and it’s part of why we remember it today.

Before “Spirit in the Sky,” Norman Greenbaum was the leader of Dr. West’s Medicine Show and Junk Band, a psychedelic rock band, then he did a stint playing folk music. After his big hit he tried to emulate its success but with little luck. He ended up exiting the music business in the late ’80s and found work as a restaurant kitchen manager and sous chef. He’s 80 years old now.

By the way, “Spirit in the Sky” was one of a small wave of religious-themed songs that hit the charts around that time. If you were turning the dial on your car radio you were likely to hear so-called “Jesus rock” songs like George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord,” “Oh Happy Day” by the Edwin Hawkins Singers, “Are You Ready?” by Pacific Gas and Electric, “Put Your Hand in the Hand,” by Ocean, “Jesus is Just Alright” by the Doobie Brothers, and, of course, songs from the musicals Jesus Christ Superstar (the title track plus “I Don’t Know How to Love Him”) and Godspell (“Day by Day”). I don’t know what was in the water back then, but it must have been just a little bit holy.