Norman Greenbaum - Biography

Norman Greenbaum (born November 20, 1942, Malden, Massachusetts, United States) is an American singer-songwriter. He was raised in a traditional Jewish household and went to Hebrew school. His initial interest in music was sparked by Southern blues music and the folk music that was hugely popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He performed with various bands in high school, and attended Boston University for two years, performing at local coffeehouses during that time, but eventually dropped out and moved to Los Angeles in 1965. He studied music at Boston University. He is best known for his song "Spirit in the Sky".

Career

Greenbaum is best known for his song "Spirit in the Sky", which sold two million copies across 1969 and 1970. Sales for this song reached over one million by May 1970 alone, and received a gold disc awarded by the R.I.A.A.. Spirit In The Sky, with its combination of 'heavy' guitar, hand-clapping, and spiritual lyrics, has been used in many films, advertisements, and television shows.

Although "Spirit in the Sky" has a clear Christian theme, Greenbaum was and still is a practicing Jew. He was inspired to write the song after observing country singers Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner singing a religious song on television.

Greenbaum is generally regarded as a one-hit wonder; however, several of his records placed prominently in the charts. In 1968, under the name Dr. West's Medicine Show and Junk Band, he recorded the novelty hit "The Eggplant That Ate Chicago". Warner Bros. Records released "Spirit in the Sky" to tremendous response in 1970; a December 1970 survey of the top 100 songs of the decade, hosted by radio personality Robert W. Morgan, listed "Spirit in the Sky" at #7.

"Spirit in the Sky" remakes

Another group, Doctor and the Medics, became a one-hit wonder of sorts with their version of "Spirit in the Sky" in 1986 (they had a minor hit with the follow-up "Burn", and a hit album Laughing at the Pieces). Also in 1986, an all-girl punk band called Fuzzbox had a hit with the song. British television stars The Kumars also became one-hit wonders in the UK, when they and Gareth Gates reached #1 with the same song in 2003. "Spirit in the Sky" is featured on the video game Rock Band 2. The song was also remade by the Christian band Stellar Kart and debuted in their 2010 album, Everything Is Different Now. The Kentucky Headhunters recorded it, including it on their 1991 album, Electric Barnyard.

Norman Greenbaum Today

Norman Greenbaum still lives in Petaluma, California. He no longer performs in public, but continues to promote concerts and lives off the royalties from his songs.

External links

• Norman Greenbaum's Spirit in the Sky web page
• Interview with Norman Greenbaum