Never been a sinner I never sinned/
I got a friend in Jesus.

Okay, so the theology isn’t exactly perfect in Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky”.  According to Christianity we’re all sinners, but never mind. This is a great spiritual song, complete with hand-clapping! An underrated instrument. There are not many faith-based songs that carry over into the realm of rock and pop, so it is impressive that this song has remained such a big hit. The song is not extremely Christianity-heavy. I get the feeling Greenbaum used “Jesus” because it rhymed; this song is more about spirituality rather than Christianity.

The guitar part is iconic. It is bordering on overused. I must have heard it in 20 movies and commercials. I think overexposure creates a difficult problem in remaining fond for any song. That is why we often feel a deeper connection to deep tracks than hits.

Christian rock is a big thing these days, but was it big before this song? Gospel was huge but gospel is nothing like this. In a way, Spirit in the Sky created a new genre. It is easy to see why this caught on—the song sounds good and makes you feel good. There are a couple other religious songs on this list. Ultimately, I think the theme of the song is much less important than the melody, though having great lyrics can push a song from good to great. Awful lyrics can also ruin a good melody.

Spirit in the Sky Lyrics

When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that’s the best
When I lay me down to die
Goin’ up to the spirit in the sky
Goin’ up to the spirit in the sky
That’s where I’m gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that’s the best

Prepare yourself you know it’s a must
Gotta have a friend in Jesus
So you know that when you die
He’s gonna recommend you
To the spirit in the sky
Gonna recommend you
To the spirit in the sky
That’s where you’re gonna go when you die
When you die and they lay you to rest
You’re gonna go to the place that’s the best

Never been a sinner I never sinned
I got a friend in Jesus
So you know that when I die
He’s gonna set me up with
The spirit in the sky
Oh set me up with the spirit in the sky
That’s where I’m gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
I’m gonna go to the place that’s the best
Go to the place that’s the best

Songwriters: Norman Greenbaum