Spirit In The Sky -

Greenbaum, raised in a nearly Orthodox Jewish family, was watching a television show featuring country singer . During the show, Wagoner performed a religious song about a miner who found his way back to God. Greenbaum, who had no background in gospel music, felt he could create something similar and decided to write his own "religious" song. Other eclectic influences included:

: The song is famous for its fuzzy, growling guitar riff. Greenbaum used a Fender Telecaster with a custom "fuzz box" built directly into the guitar body to achieve the unique tone. Spirit In The Sky

: Because he wasn't Christian, he included the line "Never been a sinner / I've never sinned," which contradicts the Christian belief that all are born with sin. He later joked that if he had known better, he would have written it differently, but it didn't stop the song from becoming a hit. Greenbaum, raised in a nearly Orthodox Jewish family,

: Greenbaum reportedly wrote the lyrics in just 15 minutes. Other eclectic influences included: : The song is

: The theme of being "buried with your shoes on"—a common trope in Westerns—found its way into his thoughts during the writing process. The Writing & Recording