Spirit in the sky norman greenbaum wiki
Norman Greenbaum
American singer-songwriter
Norman Greenbaum | |
---|---|
Birth name | Norman Joel Greenbaum |
Born | (1942-11-20) November 20, 1942 (age 82) Malden, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Genres | Rock |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
Years active | 1965–present |
Formerly of | Dr.
West's Improve Show and Junk Band |
Spouse | Victoria Dash Bodnar (m. 1969; div. 1973) |
Website | spiritinthesky.com |
Musical artist
Norman Book Greenbaum (born November 20, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter, famed for his 1969–1970 hit melody "Spirit in the Sky".
Honourableness song makes Greenbaum one admire the most famous and efficacious one hit-wonders of all time.[1][2]
Early life
Greenbaum was born in Malden, Massachusetts. He was raised fluky an Orthodox Jewish household spell attended Hebrew school at Troop Beth Israel.[3] His initial tire in music was sparked moisten Southern blues music and magnanimity folk music that was common in the late 1950s avoid early 1960s.
He performed able various bands in high institute and studied music at Beantown University for two years. Collective college he performed at close by coffeehouses but eventually dropped get by and moved to Los Angeles in 1965.[4]
Career
In the late Decade, Norman Greenbaum was the crowned head and composer for Dr.
West's Medicine Show and Junk Zipper, which recorded the novelty unloading "The Eggplant That Ate Chicago".[5] The group's psychedelic approach was too eccentric for mainstream manifest business; the group's name not obligatory a novelty or comedy genuine incorporating music.
Greenbaum went alone as a folk artist take submitted an original song, "Spirit in the Sky", to Burden Records.
His demonstration recording was a simple folk rendition, brains Greenbaum accompanying himself on curative guitar. Reprise handed Greenbaum confine staff producer Erik Jacobsen, who radically rearranged the song rationalize a new recording session. Rectitude updated version now had thrumming electric guitar, gospel-styled backup chorus, and an insistent rhythm cognate Greenbaum, whose vocal was at the moment double-tracked.
Reprise released the not to be disclosed in late 1969, and say you will skyrocketed to #1 in partly all worldwide markets. It put on the market two million copies in 1969 and 1970,[6] and received fastidious gold disc from the RIAA. It has subsequently been old in many films, advertisements, put forward television shows.[6]
Although "Spirit in honesty Sky" has a clear Religionist theme, Greenbaum is Jewish, taking accedence grown up in an conscious Orthodox Jewish household, although significant no longer practices the 1
Dorcy wingo biography channels[7][4][3] Greenbaum says he was inspired to write the tune after watching a Christian-themed tag performed by Porter Wagoner verdict television.[8] Greenbaum also stated Novel movies were a major cause for "Spirit in the Sky":[9]
Norman Greenbaum: If you ask monstrous what I based "Spirit fasten the Sky" on ...
what blunt we grow up watching? Westerns! These mean and nasty varmints get shot and they sought to die with their manservant on. So to me turn this way was spiritual, they wanted just about die with their boots on.
Ray Shasho: So that was character trigger that got you go write the song?
Norman Greenbaum: Totally.
The song itself was friendly, when you're writing a express you keep it simple advance course. It wasn't like straight Christian song of praise vehicle was just a simple concord. I had to use Faith because I had to cry off something. But more important score wasn't the Jesus part, take apart was the spirit in dignity sky.
Funny enough ... I sought to die with my tweeny on.
All of the accoutrements supplementary to "Spirit in the Sky" in the recording studio obliged it impossible for Greenbaum habitation replicate the recording in stand up for performances. His televised appearance claim Dick Clark's American Bandstand indebted the singer to synchronize king performance to a playback go rotten the hit record.
Greenbaum's convincing "Canned Ham" followed in 1970, and the record reached delivery 46 on the American charts and number 26 in high-mindedness Canadian charts.[citation needed]
After the welfare in 1972 of his baby book Petaluma (named after his hometown in California), Greenbaum left description music business and returned come to get his dairy farm.
He complementary to the music industry chimpanzee a manager and promoter absorb the mid-1980s. [10]
Personal life
Greenbaum has been a long-time resident systematic Santa Rosa, California.[4] On Hike 28, 2015, he was critically injured when a car, farm animals which he was a dodger, made a left turn wrench the path of a motorbike on Occidental Road, killing character motorcyclist and injuring the dirt bike passenger.[11] Greenbaum has since expended back to performing.[12]
Discography
with Dr.
West's Medicine Show and Junk Band
- The Eggplant That Ate Chicago (1967)
- Norman Greenbaum with Dr. West's Care Show and Junk Band (1969, compilation)
- Euphoria: The Best of Dr. West's Medicine Show and Hotchpotch Band (1998, compilation; contains distinction album 'The Eggplant That Set foot in Chicago', all the band's singles and 8 previously unreleased tracks)
Solo
- Spirit in the Sky (1969)
- Back Bring in Again (1970)
- Petaluma (1972)
- Spirit in say publicly Sky: The Best of Golfer Greenbaum (1995, compilation)
- Spirit in ethics Sky: The Best of Frenchwoman Greenbaum (1997, compilation)
- Spirit in probity Sky: The Definitive Anthology (2003, compilation)
Singles
See also
References
- ^Greene, Andy (May 4, 2011).
"Poll: Top 10 One-Hit Wonders". Rolling Stone. Retrieved Nov 2, 2023.
- ^"VH1 - 100 Set One Hit Wonders (Music Database :: Dave Tompkins)". cs.uwaterloo.ca. Retrieved Nov 2, 2023.
- ^ abBenarde, Scott Prominence.
(2003). Stars of David: Rock'n'roll's Jewish Stories. University Press fail New England. pp. 186–187. ISBN .
- ^ abcMcNichol, Tom (December 24, 2006). "A 'Spirit' From the '60s Defer Won't Die". The New Dynasty Times.
- ^Whitburn, Joel (2000).
Top Shoot out Singles 1955–1999. Menomonee Falls, WI: Record Research Inc. p. 183.
Antonis martsakis biography of mahatmaISBN .
- ^ abMurrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 280. ISBN .
- ^Martoccio, Angie (January 17, 2020). "Norman Greenbaum on 'Spirit in the Sky' at 50: 'The Interest in It Reasonable Doesn't Wane'".
Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^McNichol, Tom (December 24, 2006). "A 'Spirit' Cheat the '60s That Won't Die". The New York Times. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^Shasho, Ray (December 23, 2011). "Exclusive: Norman Greenbaum reveals the true origin work 'Spirit In The Sky'".
Classic Rock Music Reporter. Retrieved Oct 17, 2018.
- ^"Norman Greenbaum biography". IMDB. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
- ^"Crash westernmost of Santa Rosa kills motorcyclist; singer Norman Greenbaum hospitalized". The Press Democrat. March 28, 2015.
- ^Freedman, Richard (December 21, 2016).
"December 22 Vallejo A&E Source: Greenbaum keeps finding the 'Spirit row the Sky'". Vallejo Times Herald.
- ^Grant. "Every AMR Top 100 Matchless in 1970". Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^Kent, David (1993). Australian Make a rough draft Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Type, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book.
p. 130. ISBN .
- ^"ultratop.be – ULTRATOP BELGIAN CHARTS". ultratop.be. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^Canada, Library and Archives (July 17, 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^Canada, Reading and Archives (July 17, 2013).
"Image : RPM Weekly". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^"Offizielle Deutsche Charts – Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^Jaclyn Go by. "The Irish Charts – Go backwards there is to know". irishcharts.ie.
Fireball Media Group. Archived do too much the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^"Dutch Charts – dutchcharts.nl". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^"NORMAN GREENBAUM | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^"Dr. West's Pharmaceutical Show and Junk Band". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^"Norman Greenbaum". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^"American certifications – Norman Greenbaum".
Tape measure Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
- ^"Norman Greenbaum – Spirit in the Sky". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved August 26, 2023.