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

This is my tune for the taking/
Take it, don’t turn away.

“Song for the Asking” is a Simon & Garfunkel tune where the lead is sung by Paul Simon. It seems a lot of the most iconic tunes of Simon & Garfunkel are sung by Garfunkel, but perhaps I am wrong. Simon wrote all their songs and played the guitar on all their songs.

At the end of this list, I think we’ll find that his canon is only behind The Beatles and perhaps one other artist. “Song for the Asking” is not a Greatest Hit, but it is a beautiful song that hits all the strengths of a great Paul Simon tune. It also showcases one of the weaknesses.

I’ll get to the weakness first. The song runs under two minutes. Several of his songs are short. Specifically, this and April Come She Will make you really want more. In the world of digital we can just put the song on repeat, but can you imagine the people who had to hover over their vinyl or cassettes to hear this repeatedly?

As for the strengths of “Song for the Asking”, I love Paul Simon’s finger-picking, Simon and Garfunkel harmonizing and the melody. Simon’s songs are always top notch in this regard. I like the connection he makes here between religion and music. Just as we go to communion to receive a bit of grace on Sundays, we also go to Simon to request a song to raise our spirits.

Song For The Asking Lyrics

Here is my song for the asking.
Ask me and I will play
So sweetly, I’ll make you smile.

This is my tune for the taking.
Take it, don’t turn away.
I’ve been waiting all my life.

Thinking it over, I’ve been sad.
Thinking it over, I’d be more than glad,
To change my ways for the asking.

Ask me and I will play
All the love that I hold inside.
Hm
Hm

Songwriters: Paul Simon