Music Metrics Vault

Norman Greenbaum

Data updated on 2025-07-05 07:39:19 UTC
Best-known for his 1970 hit "Spirit in the Sky," singer/songwriter Norman Greenbaum was born November 20, 1942, in Malden, MA. He began his musical career while a student at Boston University, playing area coffeehouses before relocating to the West Coast during the mid-'60s and forming a kind of psychedelic jug band dubbed Dr. West's Medicine Show and Junk Band. After issuing the 1966 single "The Eggplant That Ate Chicago," which fell just shy of reaching the Top 50, the group disbanded, and Greenbaum subsequently formed a series of short-lived acts before finally returning to his solo career in 1968. A year later he issued his debut LP, Spirit in the Sky, releasing several unsuccessful singles before reaching the Top Three with the smash title track, which sold some two million copies. It proved to be Greenbaum's only hit, however, as follow-ups like 1970's "Canned Ham" and the next year's "California Earthquake" tanked; after the release of 1972's Petaluma, he retreated from music to focus on his California dairy farm, but returned to show business during the mid-'80s in a managerial capacity, also promoting a number of concerts. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

Genres

: classic rock

Total plays

602.1 million
Updated on 2025-07-05

Monthly listeners

3,747,161

Followers

103,410

Top Cities

  1. Australia
    68,308 listeners
  2. Australia
    56,093 listeners
  3. Australia
    60,258 listeners
  4. United States
    51,835 listeners
  5. Canada
    47,922 listeners

Most popular tracks

Track Plays Duration Release date
Spirit In The Sky
Spirit In The Sky
597,183,067 4:03 1969-01-01
Tars Of India
Tars Of India
686,216 3:05 1969-01-01
Marcy
Marcy
664,832 3:17 1969-01-01
Skyline
Skyline
420,544 3:14 1969-01-01
Junior Cadillac
Junior Cadillac
376,027 3:38 1969-01-01
Jubilee
Jubilee
283,732 3:01 1969-01-01
Good Lookin' Woman
Good Lookin' Woman
241,805 4:17 1969-01-01
5 Pennies
5 Pennies
193,111 2:47 2023-06-30
Spirit In The Sky - Demo Version
Spirit In The Sky - Demo Version
178,747 3:02 1969-01-01
Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen
176,121 2:31 2023-06-30
Alice Bodine
Alice Bodine
164,567 3:42 1969-01-01
The Power
The Power
156,085 2:38 1969-01-01
Canned Ham
Canned Ham
145,175 2:53 1969-01-01
Chocolate Milk
Chocolate Milk
127,847 1:57 1969-01-01
Petaluma
Petaluma
127,041 2:44 2023-06-30
Milk Cow
Milk Cow
120,676 3:04 1969-01-01
School For Sweet Talk
School For Sweet Talk
109,119 2:57 1969-01-01
Children Of Paradise
Children Of Paradise
107,148 2:11 1969-01-01
Campin
Campin
83,002 2:03 2023-06-30
Save Me For A Rainy Day
Save Me For A Rainy Day
76,692 2:47 1969-01-01
Norman Greenbaum Radio Promo
Norman Greenbaum Radio Promo
70,692 0:53 1969-01-01
Damper
Damper
58,016 2:59 2023-06-30
Country Lad
Country Lad
50,867 2:22 2023-06-30
The Day The Well Went Dry
The Day The Well Went Dry
46,705 2:36 2023-06-30
Back Home Again
Back Home Again
42,297 2:42 2023-06-30
Hook And Ladder
Hook And Ladder
41,254 2:47 2023-06-30
Crazy Over You
Crazy Over You
40,285 2:40 2023-06-30
New Dead Shrimp Blues
New Dead Shrimp Blues
38,026 3:22 2023-06-30
Japanese Silky
Japanese Silky
36,509 1:42 2023-06-30
Circulate
Circulate
12,713 3:10 2023-06-30
Grade A Barn
Grade A Barn
11,218 2:40 2023-06-30
I.J. Foxx
I.J. Foxx
9,361 4:19 2023-06-30
Titfield Thunder
Titfield Thunder
8,894 5:08 2023-06-30
Miss Fancy
Miss Fancy
6,119 3:20 2023-06-30
Lucille Got Stealed
Lucille Got Stealed
5,950 3:58 2023-06-30
Rhode Island Red
Rhode Island Red
5,712 2:48 2023-06-30
Tars Of India - Remastered 2023
Tars Of India - Remastered 2023
< 1000 3:05 1969-11-01
The Power - Remastered 2023
The Power - Remastered 2023
< 1000 2:38 1969-11-01
Good Lookin' Woman - Remastered 2023
Good Lookin' Woman - Remastered 2023
< 1000 4:16 1969-11-01
Milk Cow - Remastered 2023
Milk Cow - Remastered 2023
< 1000 3:04 1969-11-01

New releases

Beyond The Spirit
Beyond The Spirit
2024-07-01
[UME - Global Clearing House]
Petaluma
Petaluma
2023-06-30
[Craft Recordings]
Back Home Again
Back Home Again
2023-06-30
[Craft Recordings]
Spirit In The Sky (Remastered 2023)
Spirit In The Sky (Remastered 2023)
1969-11-01
[Craft Recordings]
Spirit In The Sky (Deluxe Edition)
Spirit In The Sky (Deluxe Edition)
1969-01-01
[Craft Recordings]