The song itself was simple, when you're writing a song you keep it simple of course. It wasn't like a Christian song of praise it was just a simple song. I had to use Christianity because I had to use something. But more important it wasn't the Jesus part, it was the spirit in the sky. Funny enough ... I wanted to die with my boots on. All of the accoutrements added to "Spirit in the Sky" in the recording studio made it impossible for Greenbaum to replicate the recording in live performances. His televised appearance on Dick Clark's American Bandstand compelled the singer to synchronize his performance to a playback of the hit record. Though Norman Greenbaum is generally regarded as a one-hit wonder, he actually had two hits: the upbeat "Canned Ham" followed in 1970, and the record reached number 46 on the American charts and number 26 in the Canadian charts. Personal life Greenbaum has been a long-time resident of Santa Rosa, California. He was critically injured when a car, in which he was a passenger, made a left turn in the path of a motorcycle on Occidental Road on March 28, 2015, killing the motorcyclist and injuring the motorcycle passenger. Greenbaum has since gone back to performing. Discography Albums With Dr. West's Medicine Show and Junk Band The Eggplant That Ate Chicago (1967) Norman Greenbaum with Dr. West's Medicine Show and Junk Band (1969, compilation) Euphoria: The Best of Dr. West's Medicine Show and Junk Band (1998, compilation Solo Spirit in the Sky (1969) Back Home Again (1970) Petaluma (1972) Spirit in the Sky: The Best of Norman Greenbaum (1995, compilation) Spirit in the Sky: The Best of Norman Greenbaum (1997, compilation) Spirit in the Sky: The Definitive Anthology (2003, compilation) Singles See also List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States References External links Norman Greenbaum with Dr. West's Medicine Show and Junk Band album at the Internet Archive 1942 births Living people Jewish singers American male singers Boston University College of Fine Arts alumni Jewish American musicians American Orthodox Jews People from Malden, Massachusetts People from Santa Rosa, California Songwriters from Massachusetts Reprise Records artists Jewish rock musicians Songwriters from California Catholics from Massachusetts Catholics from Louisiana 21st-century American Jews American male songwriters