Spirit in the Sky - wikipedia Spirit in the Sky For other uses, see Spirit in the Sky ( disambiguation ). For a deity whose portfolio includes or is limited to the sky, see Spirit of the sky. `` Spirit in the Sky '' Single by Norman Greenbaum from the album Spirit in the Sky B - side `` Milk Cow '' Released 1969, 1970, 2000 Format 7 '' single Recorded 1969 Genre Psychedelic rock, hard rock, gospel Length 3 : 57 Label Reprise 0885 Reprise RS20885 ( UK ) Songwriter ( s ) Norman Greenbaum Producer ( s ) Erik Jacobsen Audio sample file help `` Spirit in the Sky '' is a song written and originally recorded by Norman Greenbaum and released in late 1969. The single became a gold record, selling two million copies from 1969 to 1970 and reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart ( April 18, 1970 ), where it lasted for 15 weeks in the Top 100. Billboard ranked the record the No. 22 song of 1970. It also climbed to number one on the UK, Australian and Canadian charts in 1970. Rolling Stone ranked `` Spirit in the Sky '' No. 333 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song was featured on the 1969 album of the same name. Cover versions by Doctor and the Medics and Gareth Gates have also made the number 1 spot in the UK. Contents 1 Original version by Norman Greenbaum 2 Cultural impact 3 Chart performance 3.1 Weekly charts 3.2 Year - end charts 4 Cover versions and samples 4.1 Doctor & the Medics version 4.2 Gareth Gates ( with the Kumars ) version 4.2. 1 Track listing 4.2. 2 Charts 5 References 6 External links Original version by Norman Greenbaum 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, who had previously worked successfully with The Lovin ' Spoonful. He was inspired to write the song after watching Porter Wagoner on TV singing a gospel song. Greenbaum later 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. '' `` Spirit in the Sky '' contains lyrics about the afterlife, making several references to Jesus, although Greenbaum is Jewish. ( In a VH1 episode about famous one - hit wonders, Alice Cooper said that he was surprised to hear someone with a Jewish - sounding last name performing a song that seemed to be about Jesus. ) Greenbaum recorded his first solo album with Jacobsen for Reprise Records. The song 's arrangement came together in the studio in San Francisco where lead guitarist Russell DaShiell, bass player Doug Killmer from the band Crowfoot and drummer Norman Mayell worked with Greenbaum. According to one source and to DaShiell, Greenbaum used a Fender Telecaster with a fuzz box built into the body to generate the song 's characteristic guitar sound. Moreover, DaShiell explained how he created the song 's distinctive `` beeping '' fills : `` I actually played the lead guitar parts on Spirit, using a 61 - 62 SG Les Paul, a 68 Marshall Plexi 100w half stack and a home - made overdrive box in front of the Marshall. Regarding the ' beep beeps ' as I call them, when the producer asked me to play some fills in between the verses, as a joke I said how about something spacey like this and I did the pickup switch / string bending thing. I saw him stand up in the control booth and he said `` that 's it ! let 's record that ! '' so we did. ( There was no slide involved, just my fingers, and I used the bridge humbucker and the pickup switch. ) The fuzz part is Norman with a built - in overdrive circuit built into his Tele pickguard. '' `` I 've been asked a lot over the years how I did the ' beep beep ' guitar parts on Spirit, so for any guitar players out there who would like to learn how, try the following : Using a 2 - pickup Gibson, set the neck pickup volume to zero, bridge pickup volume to max, with the pickup switch in the middle position ( with Gibson wiring this gives you silence in the middle position ). Do a string bend, picking the B & E strings together with one hit, just ahead of the beat, then use the pickup switch to kick in the bridge pickup in triplets ( 6 per bar ) as you let the B string bend down two frets. '' `` I mainly used two positions on Spirit, which is in the key of A. For the low position, fret a stationary C note ( 8th fret ) on the E string while bending the B string up to an A note for your starting - position, then pick the two strings together once while the guitar is silent and work the pickup switch as you let the A note bend downwards to a G. For the high position, do the same thing at the 15th fret holding a stationary high G note on the E string while bending down from E to D on the B string. '' `` I must give credit to Jimi Hendrix as my inspiration for this technique ( as well as for the double - string riffs I did at the beginning of the Spirit solo tail section ). I saw him perform live in a small club in Madison, Wisconsin and loved the way he used his Strat pickup switch to create staccato feedback on songs like Voodoo Child. The difference is, on a Gibson you can start from silence and create the on / off effect, which worked well with the downward string bending thing I did on Spirit. '' The resulting sound was an innovative and compelling combination of gospel and psychedelic rock music, with loud drums, distorted electric guitar, clapping hands, and tambourines. The production team brought in the Stovall Sisters, an Oakland - based gospel trio, to sing backing vocals. Because of its unusual lyrics and style, the record company was initially reluctant to issue it, but was finally released as a single after two other singles from the album had poor sales. `` Spirit in the Sky '' became a worldwide hit, and was at the time the best - selling single ever for the Reprise label. There is a music video with Greenbaum singing the song. Of the song, Greenbaum observed : `` It sounds as fresh today as when it was recorded. I 've gotten letters from funeral directors telling me that it 's their second-most - requested song to play at memorial services, next to ' Danny Boy '. '' Cultural impact This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( May 2010 ) During John Lennon 's scathing 1970 Rolling Stone `` Beatles break - up '' interview with Jann S. Wenner, while highly critical of the recent work of many of his peers, including Bob Dylan and ex-band mate Paul McCartney, Lennon professed to liking the then - current radio single, `` Spirit in the Sky '', stating that he `` always liked simple rock and nothing else ''. It was included on the list of songs deemed `` questionable '' by Clear Channel following the September 11, 2001 attacks. In the Ron Howard movie Apollo 13, the Fred Haise character opened the TV broadcast to Earth from the Odyssey Command Module with `` Spirit in the Sky '' instead of the planned theme from 2001 A Space Odyssey. The song appears in the second trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy, as well as the soundtrack album, but is not heard in the film. Chart performance Weekly charts Chart ( 1969 -- 70 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) Canadian RPM Top Singles Germany ( Official German Charts ) Irish Singles Chart Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) Norway ( VG - lista ) Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) UK ( Official Charts Company ) US Billboard Hot 100 Year - end charts Chart ( 1970 ) Rank Australia Canada 19 US Billboard Hot 100 22 Cover versions and samples `` Spirit in the Sky '' Single by Doctor and the Medics from the album Laughing at the Pieces B - side `` Laughing at the Pieces '' Released 1986 Format 7 in Recorded 1986 Genre Neo-psychedelia, new wave Length 3 : 28 Songwriter ( s ) Norman Greenbaum Doctor and the Medics singles chronology `` Spirit in the Sky '' ( 1986 ) `` Burn '' ( 1986 ) `` Spirit in the Sky '' ( 1986 ) `` Burn '' ( 1986 ) Elton John covered `` Spirit in the Sky '' in 1969. A version by Dorothy Combs Morrison reached # 47 in Canada in November 1970. Bauhaus covered `` Spirit In the Sky '' on their 1983 single `` Sanity Assassin ''. In 1986 the group Doctor and the Medics reached No. 1 in the UK singles chart with their version of the song, while the same year punk band Fuzzbox released their own less successful version. In 1991, The Kentucky Headhunters covered `` Spirit In the Sky '' on their album, Electric Barnyard. The song was covered by DC Talk for Jesus : Music from & Inspired by the Epic Mini Series soundtrack and was released as a B side with LeAnn Rimes ' song `` I Need You ''. Howard Stern and his in - studio band The Losers performed the song in 2002 as part of a Battle of the Bands with actor Corey Feldman 's band Truth Movement. A humorous version of the song recorded to raise money for the charity Comic Relief by The Kumars with Gareth Gates also reached No. 1 in 2003 becoming the third version of this song to top the UK singles chart. Christian band Stellar Kart covered the song on their 2010 album, Everything Is Different Now. Goldfrapp sampled the song for their single `` Ooh La La ''. Doctor & the Medics version Chart ( 1986 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 29 Canadian RPM Top Singles Germany ( Official German Charts ) 9 Ireland ( IRMA ) Italy ( FIMI ) 6 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) 16 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) US Billboard Hot 100 69 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 27 Gareth Gates ( with the Kumars ) version `` Spirit in the Sky '' Single by Gareth Gates with The Kumars from the album Go Your Own Way B - side `` Dance Again '' `` Will You Wait for Me ? '' Released March 14, 2003 Format CD single Recorded 2003 Genre Pop rock Length 3 : 29 Label Sony BMG, RCA Songwriter ( s ) Norman Greenbaum Producer ( s ) Steve Mac Gareth Gates with The Kumars singles chronology `` What My Heart Wants to Say '' ( 2002 ) `` Spirit in the Sky '' ( 2003 ) `` Sunshine '' ( 2003 ) `` What My Heart Wants to Say '' ( 2002 ) `` Spirit in the Sky '' ( 2003 ) `` Sunshine '' ( 2003 ) `` Spirit in the Sky '' served as the first single from Pop Idol runner - up Gareth Gates ' second studio album, Go Your Own Way. The single was released on March 14, 2003, and was the official Comic Relief charity single for 2003. The song features guest vocals from The Kumars. The song peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Gates ' fourth number one single. Track listing UK CD1 `` Spirit in the Sky '' -- 3 : 29 `` Dance Again '' -- 4 : 06 `` Spirit in the Sky '' ( Gareth Only Version ) -- 3 : 25 `` Spirit in the Sky '' ( Video ) -- 4 : 00 UK CD2 `` Spirit in the Sky '' -- 3 : 29 `` Will You Wait for Me ? '' -- 4 : 13 `` Interview With Gareth '' -- 5 : 00 UK DVD `` Spirit in the Sky '' ( Video ) -- 4 : 00 `` Dance Again '' ( Video ) -- 4 : 06 `` Spirit in the Sky '' ( Making of the Video ) -- 3 : 25 Charts Chart ( 2003 ) Peak position Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 10 Belgium ( Ultratip Flanders ) Belgium ( Ultratip Wallonia ) 9 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 33 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 13 Ireland ( IRMA ) Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 14 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 11 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 30 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) Preceded by `` All Kinds of Everything '' by Dana UK number - one single ( Norman Greenbaum version ) May 2, 1970 ( 2 weeks ) Succeeded by `` Back Home '' by England national football team Preceded by `` The Chicken Song '' by Spitting Image UK number - one single ( Doctor & The Medics version ) June 3, 1986 Succeeded by `` The Edge of Heaven '' by Wham ! Preceded by `` Beautiful '' by Christina Aguilera UK number - one single ( Gareth Gates, Alfie Nixon & The Kumars version ) March 15, 2003 -- March 29, 2003 Succeeded by `` Make Luv '' by Room 5 featuring Oliver Cheatham References Jump up ^ Leeuwis, Jermy. `` Jason v -- Spirit In The Sky ''. MusicRemedy. Retrieved June 24, 2013. `` Jason Mraz 's new song is a bluesy, gospel - influenced version of Norman Greenbaum 's 1970 psychedelic rock anthem ' Spirit in the Sky. ' '' Jump up ^ Mcnichol, Tom ( 2006 ). `` A ' Spirit ' From the ' 60s That Wo n't Die ''. The New York Times. California. Retrieved January 1, 2015. Jump up ^ Unterberger, Richie. `` Spirit in the Sky on Allmusic ''. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 24, 2013. `` The handclaps and riffs... simmered down a little to allow Greenbaum to sing a tune which really did sound like a genuine gospel song... The gospel feel was amplified by creditably wailing backup female singers... '' ^ Jump up to : McNichol, Tom ( December 24, 2006 ). `` A ' Spirit ' From the ' 60s That Wo n't Die ''. The New York Times. Retrieved May 23, 2010. Jump up ^ Billboard Year - End Hot 100 singles of 1970 Jump up ^ `` HOME ''. www.spiritguitar.com. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ Video on YouTube Jump up ^ `` Christian Order - Read - Editorials - February 2011 ''. Christianorder.com. Retrieved July 18, 2013. Jump up ^ Jann S. Wenner ( January 21, 1971 ), `` The Rolling Stone Interview : John Lennon, Part I '', Rolling Stone, archived from the original on April 18, 2009 Jump up ^ Reyes, Mike ( August 1, 2014 ). `` James Gunn Takes To Twitter To Answer Excellent Guardians Questions From Fans ''. Cinemablend.com. Retrieved October 2, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Australia n ° 1 Hits - 70 's ''. Worldcharts.co.uk. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Norman Greenbaum -- Spirit In The Sky '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Norman Greenbaum -- Spirit In The Sky '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ `` Spirit in the sky in Canadian Singles Chart ''. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 1, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Norman Greenbaum -- Spirit In The Sky ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Jump up ^ `` Spirit in the sky in Irish Chart ''. IRMA. Retrieved June 1, 2013. Only one result when searching `` Norman Greenbaum '' Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- Norman Greenbaum '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Norman Greenbaum -- Spirit In The Sky '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- Norman Greenbaum -- Spirit In The Sky ''. VG - lista. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Norman Greenbaum -- Spirit In The Sky ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` 1970 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive - 2nd May 1970 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 1, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Spirit in the Sky awards on Allmusic ''. Allmusic. Retrieved June 1, 2013. Jump up ^ David Kent 's `` Australian Chart Book 1970 - 1992 '' Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. collectionscanada.gc.ca. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Hits of 1970 / Top 100 Songs of 1970 ''. Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 2, 2016. Jump up ^ Mills, Ted. `` Laughing at the Pieces review on Allmusic ''. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 24, 2013. Jump up ^ Sutton, Michael. `` Doctor & the Medics biography on Allmusic ''. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 24, 2013. `` new wave remake of Norman Greenbaum 's `` Spirit in the Sky '' '' Jump up ^ `` Elton John -- Legendary Covers ' 69 / ' 70 ''. Retrieved June 17, 2015. Jump up ^ title RPM Magazine Jump up ^ `` Bauhaus 's Spirit in the Sky cover of Norman Greenbaum 's Spirit in the Sky ''. WhoSampled.com. Retrieved July 18, 2013. Jump up ^ Mansfield, Brian. `` Electric Barnyard review on Allmusic ''. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 18, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Jesus : Music From & Inspired by the Epic Mini Series : Patrick Williams, Various Artists : Music ''. Amazon.com. Retrieved September 27, 2011. Jump up ^ `` I Need You / Spirit in the Sky : Leann Rimes, Dc Talk : Music ''. Amazon.com. Retrieved September 27, 2011. Jump up ^ Johnson, Jared. `` Everything Is Different Now review on Allmusic ''. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 18, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Goldfrapp 's Ooh La La sample of Norman Greenbaum 's Spirit in the Sky ''. WhoSampled.com. Retrieved July 18, 2013. Jump up ^ Kent, David ( 1993 ). Australian Chart Book 1970 - 1992 ( illustrated ed. ). St Ives, N.S.W. : Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0 - 646 - 11917 - 6. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Doctor & The Medics -- Spirit In The Sky '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Doctor & The Medics -- Spirit In The Sky '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ `` Spirit in the sky in Canadian Singles Chart ''. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 1, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Doctor & The Medics -- Spirit In The Sky ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Jump up ^ `` Spirit in the sky in Irish Chart ''. IRMA. Retrieved June 1, 2013. 2nd result when searching `` Doctor and the Medics '' Jump up ^ `` The best - selling singles of 1986 in Italy ''. HitParadeItalia ( it ). Retrieved June 1, 2013. 48. Spirit in the sky - Doctor and the Medics ( No. 6 ) Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Doctor & The Medics -- Spirit In The Sky ''. Top 40 Singles. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- Doctor & The Medics -- Spirit In The Sky ''. Singles Top 100. ^ Jump up to : `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Cite error : Invalid < ref > tag ; name `` sc_UK_ '' defined multiple times with different content ( see the help page ). ^ Jump up to : `` Doctor & the Medics awards on Allmusic ''. Allmusic. Retrieved June 1, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Gareth Gates with the Kumars -- Spirit In The Sky '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Gareth Gates with the Kumars -- Spirit In The Sky '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratip. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Gareth Gates with the Kumars -- Spirit In The Sky '' ( in French ). Ultratip. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Gareth Gates with the Kumars -- Spirit In The Sky '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Gareth Gates with the Kumars -- Spirit In The Sky ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Jump up ^ `` Spirit in the sky in Irish Chart ''. IRMA. Retrieved June 1, 2013. 2nd result when searching `` Gareth Gates featuring the Kumars '' Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- Gareth Gates with the Kumars '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Gareth Gates with the Kumars -- Spirit In The Sky '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Gareth Gates with the Kumars -- Spirit In The Sky ''. Swiss Singles Chart. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Gareth Gates Albums What My Heart Wants to Say Go Your Own Way Pictures of the Other Side Singles `` Unchained Melody '' `` Anyone of Us ( Stupid Mistake ) '' `` Suspicious Minds '' `` What My Heart Wants to Say '' `` Spirit in the Sky '' `` Sunshine '' `` Say It Is n't So '' `` Changes '' `` Angel on My Shoulder '' Related articles Discography Pop Idol ( series 1 ) Sony Records 19 Will Young The Kumars 5th Story Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spirit_in_the_Sky&oldid=821538094 '' Categories : 1969 singles 1970 singles 1986 singles 2003 singles Gareth Gates songs Norman Greenbaum songs UK Singles Chart number - one singles Number - one singles in Germany Number - one singles in Australia Irish Singles Chart number - one singles Comic Relief singles RPM Top Singles number - one singles RCA Records singles Reprise Records singles Songs about death Sony BMG singles 1969 songs Hidden categories : Pages with reference errors Webarchive template wayback links Pages with duplicate reference names Use mdy dates from January 2018 Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from November 2008 Articles needing additional references from May 2010 All articles needing additional references Articles with unsourced statements from January 2018 Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for UK Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Flanders Tip Singlechart usages for Wallonia Tip Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Eesti Español Français Nederlands 日本 語 Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Edit links This page was last edited on 21 January 2018, at 02 : 58. 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Question: who did the original spirit in the sky
Answer: Norman Greenbaum; Norman Greenbaum; Norman Greenbaum; Norman Greenbaum; Norman Greenbaum