Feeling the Spirit!


For whatever reason in my crazy mind, the Norman Greenbaum song, Spirit in the Sky popped into my head and I decided to give it a listen. Oh my! I streamed this through Tidal from the original album of the same name and was very impressed by the dynamics. With the volume at a healthy but listenable level, the opening guitar about floored me. Give it a listen. It sounds incredible for a 1969 recording.
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Oh, I see it's okay to express an opinion about the front end of my system but not okay for me to express my opinion of your music suggestion. I get it now!
Most of the old pop hits we listened to on a cheap radio back on those days are a revelation when remastered and played back now on a good modern hifi. Same true for most recordings from back in the first 10-15 years of hi fi 331/3 records. Quality recordings were novel then and record companies actually promoted how hifi their recordings were and high fidelity sold. It’s plastered right across the top of many records from all the major labels back then how special their sound was. And it was! It was the golden age of vinyl.  Except very few had the tools yet needed to truly unleash it during playback like we do today. Then over time it became less of a big deal and things diverged becoming more about the music and artists and less about spectacular hifi sound.
There are some great videos on YouTube about the guitar tone Norman Greenbaum came up with for Spirit in the Sky (a fairly recent re-recording was noted by the band contacting him to get the exact amp/guitar settings originally used in the studio).
When the song first appeared on AM radio it was unlike anything I'd ever heard....so catchy...never get tired of it; however, back in the day, I considered the rest of the album boring and was glad I never sprung for it.
Regarding old recordings, if you haven't heard Robert Johnson - The Centennial Collection you're missing something special.
The studio wizards have resurrected 1930's portable tape recordings and rendered them entirely listenable...by today's standards!
It goes to show how far the remastering/remixing arts have advanced.
Have his autograph!
great songwriter!

unrelated....drove to Tinley park, IL, FOR A CONCERT. 5 bands.
amazing show. Louden Wainright III , CAME ON STAGE, sang a few songs, I yelled “dead skunk”  he said” well, I’m glad I have one fan!”

  Asked me to stage front, , asked my name, dedicated dead skunk to his only fan :)

  gave me a signed photo also.
nice guy!