Spirit in the Sky: Best of Norman Greenbaum [IMPORT]

Norman Greenbaum

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 10, 2001)
• Original Release Date: April 10, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Repertoire
• ASIN: B000007VL1
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #155,701 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
1997 collection on Repertoire with 24 vital hits, including top five 1970 smash 'Spirit In The Sky', plus 'The Day They Sold Beer In Church', 'California Earthquake', 'Canned Ham','Gondoliers, Shakespeares, Overseers, Playboys And Bum', theB-sides 'Jigsaw' & 'Daddy I Know' and more!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NOT YOU'RE EVERYDAY ONE HIT WONDER, March 21, 2001

By	Patrick Earley (Edmond, Oklahoma USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I got this cd a couple years ago because I've always had a guilty pleasure for the song "SPIRIT IN THE SKY", which was heavily played on am radio when I was in highschool. It was a way overplayed hit back then that everybody eventually grew tired of, and it finally faded away. I also vaguely remembered his other single "CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE", which was a minor hit for about 5 minutes. But it was "SPIRIT IN THE SKY", with it's fuzzy guitar tone and the hand clapping rhythm that I found myself missing after all these years. To my surprise, after playing this album, I found Greenbaum to be an excellent songwriter. I expected to hear a lot of that Spirit in the Sky sound on here. But instead, this album has more of a country rock sound to it, with songs like "CANNED HAM", the hook laden "HOOK AND LADDER" (shoulda been another single), "DADDY I KNOW", with a great sounding fiddle, and a song that begs for a listen "THE DAY THEY SOLD BEER IN CHURCH". He even offers a little R&B sound with "JUNIOR CADILLAC", and a little gospel with "JUBILEE". And you get a few psychedelic rockers thrown in for good measure. This Best Of cd has a lot to offer with all his singles, b-sides, and rarities included. And there's not a clanker in the bunch. I think Norman Greenbaum, with his songwriting talents, could have been a big star. But he quit the music business for good in 1972 at the height of his popularity, and never looked back. For me, this album was a great trip down memory lane, and a pleasant surprise to boot!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars norman greebaum spirit in the sky, February 22, 2006

By	lillemor kalogridis "before" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It tak`s me back some years.Great to relax to.

11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This one song is worth buying the whole CD!, July 15, 1999

By A Customer

Call me weird, but when my husband and I pass on we are going to donate our bodies to science. I have told my husband that at my memorial I want the song "Spirit in the Sky" played as the memorial service is ending! I've also told him that I will do the same at his memorial service (if he should pass on first)!