A Last Psychedelic Blast: "Spirit in the Sky" Norman Greenbaum (1969)

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Gospel meets psychedelic. I loved this song when I was a kid and still like it now. The memorable guitar riff intro is an instant energizer. All of you should be familiar with this legendary one hot wonder because it has been part of the cultural landscape since 1969. “Spirit in the Sky” is relentlessly sampled in movies, TV and ads. The Los Angeles Angels play the song at Anaheim Stadium prior to player introductions. Greenbaum was a member of Dr. West’s Medicine Show and Junk Band producing the minor psychedelic hit “The Eggplant That Ate Chicago.” The Jewish Greenbaum saw Porter Waggoner and Dolly Parton perform a gospel song on TV and thought I can do that. He wrote “Spirit in the Sky” in 15 minutes. The guitar work was Greenbaum with a fuzz box and Russell DaShiell mostly responsible for the sound employing distortion effects. The Stovall Sisters gospel singers provided backup chorus vocals. “Spirit in the Sky” was a colossal international hit selling two million copies and going #1 in the UK, Canada and Australia and #2 US. Greenbaum only produced four albums between 1969 and 1972. “Spirit in the Sky” has handsomely paid it creator all these decades.