‘Spirit in the Sky’ is a song by American singer-songwriter Norman Greenbaum, originally written and recorded by Greenbaum and released in late 1969 from the album of the same name. The single became a gold record in the United States, selling two million copies from 1969 to 1970, and reached No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 where it lasted for 15 weeks in the Top 100. Billboard ranked the record the No. 22 song of 1970. It also climbed to No. 1 on the UK, Australian and Canadian charts in 1970.
‘Spirit in the Sky’ makes several religious references to Jesus, although Greenbaum himself is Jewish. In a 2006 interview with The New York Times, Greenbaum told a reporter he was inspired to write the song after watching Porter Wagoner singing a gospel song on TV. Greenbaum said: "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." Greenbaum had previously been a member of psychedelic jug band Dr. West's Medicine Show and Junk Band. When they split up he won a solo contract with producer Erik Jacobsen for Reprise Records. Jacobsen had previously worked with the Lovin' Spoonful.
Greenbaum first arranged the song for acoustic jug band, then he tried a folk version, and then a Delta blues style, but none of these were satisfactory. Under Jacobsen's direction, the song started to gel. Greenbaum used a Fender Telecaster guitar with an overdrive circuit built into the body to generate the song's characteristic guitar sound. Jacobsen finally brought in the Stovall Sisters (Joyce, Lillian and Netta) from Oakland to support the song with gospel hand percussion and vocal stylings, joined by additional singers.
‘Spirit in the Sky’ became a worldwide hit, and was for a time the best-selling single for the Reprise label. Later albums and singles by Greenbaum were not embraced by the market. By the 1980s, Greenbaum had abandoned his music career and was working as a sous-chef and restaurant kitchen manager.
Rolling Stone ranked ‘Spirit in the Sky’ No. 333 on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Cover versions by Doctor and the Medics and Gareth Gates have also made the No. 1 spot in the UK. The song was voted one of the top ten one-hit wonders in a Rolling Stone reader's poll.
Label – Reprise
Songwriter – Norman Greenbaum
Producer – Erik Jacobsen
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best
When I lay me down to die
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky
[Chorus]
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky (Spirit in the sky)
That's where I'm gonna go when I die (When I die)
When I die and they lay me to rest
I'm gonna go to the place that's the best
[Verse 2]
Prepare yourself, you know it's a must
Gotta have a friend in Jesus
So you know that when you die
He's gonna recommend you to the spirit in the sky (Spirit in the sky)
[Chorus]
Woah, he'll recommend you to the spirit in the sky
That's where you're gonna go when you die (When you die)
When you die and they lay you to rest
You're gonna go to the place that's the best
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 3]
Never been a sinner, I never sinned
I got a friend in Jesus
So you know that when I die
He's gonna set me up with the spirit in the sky
[Chorus]
Woah, set me up with the spirit in the sky (Spirit in the sky)
That's where I'm gonna go when I die (When I die)
When I die and they lay me to rest
I'm gonna go to the place that's the best
Go to the place that's the best
[Instrumental Outro]