Norman Greenbaum's Spirit in the Sky - Yay or Nay?

[RagingInMiami]

This is one of my all-time favorite songs despite it coming across like a Jesus-freak song. What do you think?

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

1. Yea

Nothing wrong with believing in Christ and singing a good song about it, no matter what many at DU like to think.

[asthmaticeog]

19. True, there's nothing wrong with that.

But that's not what the particular song under discussion was about. It was written by Norman Greenbaum, a musician from a Jewish background, and was intended as a sendup of a certain naîve type of religious believer. For example, the line "I've never been a sinner / I've never sinned" is a HUGE departure from Christian doctrine, but it certainly does call out the smugly pious types.

On edit: I should add, so as not to veer totally OT, that I think that song kicks high ass. Awesome, timeless riff, fun to sing along with, the man did nothing wrong when he crafted that tune.

[blondeatlast]

27. I always suspected it was a bit ironic and a "call-out,"

but never had my suspicions confirmed.

I mean the irony of a Greenbaum creating it always made me wonder.

Thanks, I feel even better about loving the song now!

[AmandaRuth]

2. Thats a great song with a great guitar riff

Most jesus-freak music is shlock and that's the real shame.

[Heidi]

3. A definite "Yay!"

:thumbsup:

[BrewerJohn]

4. I always thought it was a little cheesy

But back when it was on the charts, I would always hang around for the
kickin' guitar solo at the end.

Actually, come to think of it, that applied to a lot of the "top 40"
tunes of that era!

[NMMNG]

5. I'm an atheist and I still like the song

It's got good music and it's fun to dance to.

[Whoa_Nelly]

6. Have it copied on a CD from a download...so, YEA! is my vote

Along with Crystal Blue Persuasion and other tunes from the late '60s

Am an atheist, but I dig the old tunes :)

CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION

Look over yonder what do you see
The sun is a-risin' most definitely
A new day is comin' people are changin'
Ain't it beautiful crystal blue persuasion

Better get ready gonna see the light
Love, love is the answer and that's all right
So don't you give up now so easy to find
Just look to your soul and open your mind

Crystal blue persuasion, mm-hmm
It's a new vibration
Crystal blue persuasion, crystal
Blue persuasion

Maybe tomorrow when He looks down
Every green field and every town
All of his children every nation
There'll be peace and good brotherhood

Crystal blue persuasion
Crystal blue persuasion.....

[Mutley]

7. Atheist. I love that song.

[RebelOne]

13. Another atheist here, and that song has always

been one of my favorites. Maybe because it's ironic that Norman Greenbaum is Jewish.

[Nicole]

8. Yay

I never thought of it as a Jesus Freak song though.

[wildhorses]

9. Yay

:thumbsup:

[Hardrada]

10. I actually haven't heard that sone for about 30 years.

It was OK when it came with the entire gestalt of that era. Seems not quite so effective now but certain focus groups still prioritize it within present-world parameters at the end of the day.

[Richard Steele]

11. YEA! Just that opening riff at high volume alone...

It's an all-time great song. :thumbsup:

[REP]

12. Yay

I just like it, but I also like the "rockin' Jesus freak" quality of it, too. It's so incongruous it adds another layer of enjoyment.

[mitchum]

14. That song laid down the template for the glam rock sound...Marc Bolan...

must have worn out several copies of it.
A great record.

[Richardo]

15. Yea!

Great song.

[scarlet_owl]

16. That's a great song. I haven't heard it in a while.

The damn oldies station in town changed it's format, so now I miss all the good songs.

[Nickster]

17. YAY!

[SteppingRazor]

18. Yay

If it was good enough for the guy in my avatar box, it's good enough for me (one of HST's favorite songs. They played it as his ashes were fired out of a cannon)

[txwhitedove]

20. Good, rockin' Jesus freak. Always one of my favorites.

[WoodyTobiasJr]

21. Check out the youtube video for this

http://youtube.com/watch?v=131Gqc6bAFQ&search=spirit%20in%20the%20sky

[WoodyTobiasJr]

22. And here is the Dr. and the Medics version..

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Mboup7AEf3s&search=dr.%20and%20the%20medics

[RebelOne]

34. Great. Thanks for posting. I've been wanting to hear that again. n/t

[vi5]

23. This atheist loves that song (n/t)

[blondeatlast]

24. Love it--and as a Christian, I suspect it's also a call-out to the

"holier than thou" crowd.

I mean--Greenbaum?

I like to think it doesn't apply to me... :evilgrin:

[BigMcLargehuge]

25. Nay

I can't be the only one....

[atomic-fly]

26. I love some hippy Jesus love....great song.

[donco6]

28. Definite YAY.

I think of it like a good-natured spiritual. With a great guitar riff.

[dorktv]

29. I do find it odd that the song is used for sports movies.

but otherwise love the song.

[DinahMoeHum]

30. It was also used in the movie "Apollo 13"

and I like the song as well.

[fujiyama]

38. I have the soundtrack

and I give the song a yay! The soundtrack also has a few other good tracks like Hendrix' Purple Haze. And Horner's score is also good.

[redqueen]

31. I love it!

And I never considered it a "Jesus-freak" song... to me it only seems spiritual, and I love that.

:hi:

[txwhitedove]

33. We're possibly relating the song to the term 'Jesus Freak'...

because the song came out around the time that term was coined. Agree, it's just a spiritual song, a bit tongue-in-cheek perhaps, and could be taken either way. I never assumed Norman Greenbaum was Jewish..., just loved the song.

[GalleryGod]

32. Always Sounded like the Soundtrack for

A Porn Movie....

[Taverner]

35. Boring, dumb, and useless

[Deep13]

36. Pretty cool song.

Liking it doesn't mean I have to be baptized.

[_testify_]

37. Big Nay.

"Never been a sinner; I never sinned"

What kind of shit is that from someone who believes in Jesus Christ?


edited to add:

It never occurred to me that the singer might NOT believe in Jesus and that the lyric I posted might not have been wholly serious.

Song still sucks though.