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Spirit in the Sky
Back in the 1960’s there was a song came out titled, “Spirit in the Sky.” It is still played often today on the “oldies” radio stations. It is very catchy and is almost impossible not to sing along with it when you hear it.
The unique thing about this song was that it was categorized as a “rock” song although it was a song about Jesus and going to Heaven. The song encourages the listener to get to know Jesus as a friend and he will recommend you to the Spirit in the sky when you die. This was before the days of Christian Rock. It was more than unusual for a rock song to speak positively about Jesus in the 1960’s. It was unheard of except for this song.
I liked this song. It was catchy and I liked the lyrics. Just the other day it was playing on the radio and I heard something that I had not noticed before and it disturbed me. In the last verse I thought I heard the lyrics…”I’ve never been a sinner. I’ve never sinned”. Well, if I heard that correctly it just ruined it for me. All have sinned. That’s what the bible says. I wondered about the man who wrote and sang this song. I wondered if he was saved at the time he wrote the song and if not, if he was saved today and even if he was still alive. So I did some research. I did not like what I found. The man who wrote and sang that song is NOT a Christian. He’s never been saved.
Also I checked the lyrics of that song and sure enough it does say, “I’ve never been a sinner. I’ve never sinned”. The complete lyrics to the song are below:
Spirit In The Sky
(norman greenbaum)
When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's best
When they lay me down to die
Goin on up to the Spirit in the skyCHORUS:
Goin on up to the Spirit in the sky
(Spirit in the sky)
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
(When I die)
When I die and they lay me to rest
I'm gonna go to the place that's the bestPrepare yourself, you know it's a must
Gotta have a friend named Jesus
So you know that when you die
It's gonna recommend you to the Spirit in the sky
(Spirit in the sky)Goin on up to the Spirit in the sky
That's where you're gonna go when you die
(When you die)
When I die and they lay me to rest
I'm gonna go to the place that's the bestNever been a sinner, I've never sinned
I've got a friend named Jesus
So you know that when I die
It's gonna set me up with the Spirit in the skyREPEAT CHORUS (x2)
Notice the authors name, “norman greenbaum”. That’s a Jewish name. I don’t intend to make a big deal out of that, but it is an interesting thing to note.
This song that I really liked and thought to be special for it’s praise of the Lord within a category in which that just didn’t happen especially during the 60’s. The song however is theologically unsound. That last verse contains a lie which corrupts the whole song no matter how catchy and fun to sing along with it may be.
Satan slipped this one in quiet cleverly. You take something appealing like a catchy tune and surround a lie with solid theology and it goes largely unnoticed. Some who have no religious training could hear the lyrics to this song and believe since they have sinned they can’t be saved. I know, it’s not likely with most people, but millions of people hear a hit song and it could very well affect a handful in this way.
Come to think of it……….. Spirit in the Sky makes me think about a verse of scripture:
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Ephesians 2:2The point of al of this is that we have to be careful not to be seduced into embracing things just because they look good on the surface. Things of a spiritual matter are worthy of deep ponder and investigation. It’s worth studying out.
I suppose this whole piece I’ve written may seem like I’m making a big deal of a small thing. I just like to write when things come to me and then I like to share my thoughts with others. As my friend, you just have to tolerate it LOL!
Carl Light
© Copyright 2006 Carl Light (Copy as is with reference to source with permission)
