Norman Greenbaum is a singer-songwriter who was born on 20 November 1942 in Malden, Massachusetts. He studied music at Boston University. Greenbaum is a one-hit wonder only known for his hit Spirit In The Sky, which sold two million copies in 1969 and 1970. Speaking with Songfacts about the song, Greenbaum said he set out to write a religious rock song, and he is Jewish. ...show more

Norman Greenbaum is a singer-songwriter who was born on 20 November 1942 in Malden, Massachusetts. He studied music at Boston University. Greenbaum is a one-hit wonder only known for his hit Spirit In The Sky, which sold two million copies in 1969 and 1970. Speaking with Songfacts about the song, Greenbaum said he set out to write a religious rock song, and he is Jewish.

Instead of using a Jewish word for God, he used "Jesus" because he thought it would be more marketable. It took months for Greenbaum to finish the music, but the lyrics came really quickly. The song, with its combination of 'heavy' guitar, hand-clapping, and spiritual lyrics was a memorable one-hit wonder.. ...show less