Norman Greenbaum was a Jewish kid studying at Boston
University when he began to play music. After leaving the cold environs of
Boston he went to California, where he formed a few bands on his own before
penning this classic rock song. If it’s religious in nature, that’s because it
was intentional on Mr. Greenbaum’s part. He figured a religious song would
sell; and moreover; Jesus would sell better than God. It also fits better. Sing
it once or twice substituting God for Jesus. It doesn’t work. He wrote the
music over a period of months, and then the lyrics came all at once.
The song was inspired by Porter Wagoner’s song about a
country preacher. Previous to writing this timeless song, Mr. Greenbaum had a
minor hit with “The Jugband”, which was based out of San Francisco and played psychedelic
music on empty liquor jugs, which had formerly been the basis of so-called “hillbilly”
music. You can find that recording on
You tube. It was called "The Eggplant That Ate Chicago.” That band split
in 1968 over gastronomic differences. It is rarely played anywhere.
By contrast the hit “Spirit In the Sky” has been featured in
movies such as “Contact”, “Wayne's World II”, and the blockbuster “Apollo 11”
as being the song played in the background during the news sequences. Astronaut
Jim Lovell, who was there, has stated that in reality the song was “Aquarius”
by The Fifth Dimension. The song has also shown up recently on American Express
Commercials.
The song’s meaning? Mr. Greenbaum summed it up in an
interview this way; "It appeals to one's inner self and the need for
redemption, plus, heck, who wants to go to hell?
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