Greenbaum was born in Malden, Massachusetts. He was raised in an Orthodox Jewish household and attended Hebrew school at Congregation Beth Israel. His initial interest in music was sparked by southern blues music and the folk music that was popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He performed with various bands in high school and studied music at Boston University for two years. In college he performed at local coffeehouses but eventually dropped out and moved to Los Angeles in 1965.
Greenbaum is best known for his song "Spirit in the Sky". The song, with its combination of 'heavy' guitar, hand-clapping, and spiritual lyrics, was released by Reprise Records in 1969. It sold two million copies in 1969 and 1970, and received a gold disc from the R.I.A.A. It has subsequently been used in many films, advertisements, and television shows.
Although "Spirit in the Sky" has a clear Christian theme, Greenbaum was and remains an observant Jew. Greenbaum says he was inspired to write the song after watching country singers singing a song on television. In an interview Greenbaum stated that western movies were the real inspiration for "Spirit in the Sky".
Though Greenbaum is generally regarded as a one-hit wonder, several of his records placed prominently in the charts, including "Canned Ham" in 1970, which reached number 46 on the Billboard pop chart. In 1966, under the name Dr. West's Medicine Show and Junk Band, he recorded the novelty hit "The Eggplant That Ate Chicago". In the 1960s Greenbaum also performed under the name Bruno Wolf with the Jim Kweskin Jug Band.
Greenbaum has been a long-time resident of Santa Rosa, California. He was critically injured when the car in which he was a passenger made a left turn in the path of a motorcycle on Occidental Road on March 28, 2015, killing the motorcyclist and also injuring the motorcycle passenger. Greenbaum has since gone back to performing.
Dairy Queen
Norman Greenbaum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She was a dairy queen
Her boyfriend played football
Drove a fifty-six Chevy that was cream
And they hung out at the Halley's
On a weekend night
Dairy queen
But her mother doesn't care
She wants to keep her on the dairy
To work and earn a boy
'Cause she thinks it's fair
'Cause Crystal wants to go to Reno
Dance in a chorus line
Dairy queen
She wishes on a star
Every night before she goes to bed
Wants to get ahead
And represent a company
Wants to be queen of the fair
Dairy queen
Her mother's eyes are cryin'
Hates to see her daughter go
But Miss Crystal's got to do it
If she's ever goin' to be out on her own
She's got beauty goin' for her
All she needs is love
Dairy queen
Dairy queen
The lyrics to Norman Greenbaum's song "Dairy Queen" depict a young girl named Crystal who was a twirler in high school and worked at a local Dairy Queen. Crystal's mother wants to keep her on the farm, where she can work and find a suitable boy. However, Crystal has higher aspirations and wants to dance in a chorus line in Reno or represent a company. The song highlights the tension between a parent's desire to keep their child close and sheltered and that child's desire for independence and adventure.
The lyrics also highlight the small-town life and culture that often surround rural areas in America. Crystal and her boyfriend hang out at Halley's on the weekend, and her boyfriend drives a fifty-six Chevy. Her mother is described as wanting to keep Crystal on the dairy, implying that this is a rural community where people work in agriculture. Furthermore, the song mentions a "queen of the fair," which is a common event in rural America.
Overall, "Dairy Queen" is a story of a young girl's desire to escape her small-town life and to pursue her dreams. It shows how parental expectations can clash with a child's hopes and dreams while painting a vivid picture of small-town America.
Line by Line Meaning
She twirled baton in high school
Crystal used to be a baton-twirler during her high school days.
She was a dairy queen
Crystal was an employee at a Dairy Queen establishment.
Her boyfriend played football
Crystal's significant other was a football player.
Drove a fifty-six Chevy that was cream
Crystal's boyfriend drove a 1956 Chevy that had a cream color.
And they hung out at the Halley's
Crystal and her boyfriend frequented the Halley's diner.
On a weekend night
It was usually on the weekends when they would hang out at Halley's.
They say she looks like Harlow
People often compare Crystal's physical features to those of Jean Harlow.
But her mother doesn't care
Crystal's mother doesn't think much of the comparison to Jean Harlow.
She wants to keep her on the dairy
Crystal's mother wants her to continue working at Dairy Queen.
To work and earn a boy
Crystal's mother thinks that by working at Dairy Queen, it will increase her chances of finding a suitable partner.
'Cause she thinks it's fair
Crystal's mother believes that this is a just and reasonable plan for her daughter.
'Cause Crystal wants to go to Reno
Crystal has expressed interest in visiting and/or working in Reno.
Dance in a chorus line
One of Crystal's aspirations is to be part of a chorus line.
She wishes on a star
Crystal prays to a star every night before going to bed.
Every night before she goes to bed
Crystal has a nightly routine of wishing upon a star before sleeping.
Wants to get ahead
Crystal has goals and ambitions that she wants to fulfill.
And represent a company
One of Crystal's aspirations is to represent a company professionally.
Wants to be queen of the fair
Crystal dreams of being crowned queen of a fair, festival or competition.
Her mother's eyes are cryin'
Crystal's mother is upset and sad about her daughter's plans to leave or pursue other options.
Hates to see her daughter go
Crystal's mother has a hard time accepting her daughter's departure or new life outlook.
But Miss Crystal's got to do it
In spite of her mother's discomfort, Crystal is determined to pursue her dreams and aspirations.
If she's ever goin' to be out on her own
Crystal believes that in order to become independent, she has to set out on her own path.
She's got beauty goin' for her
Crystal is aware of her own physical attributes and thinks that they might help her succeed in life.
All she needs is love
Crystal believes that love is what she needs in order to feel fulfilled and happy.
Dairy queen
The song title and/or a reference to Crystal's current or previous employment at Dairy Queen.
Contributed by Luke A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@rememberthetalamo7993
I try to speak to everyone I meet about this album and nobody has ever heard of it? Its one of my favorites! Spirit in the Sky is a great song but some of these others are way better in my opinion.
@tombow2
I know this song from Petaluma. I beleive Ry Cooder played some guitar for it.
@willemvanfrankenhuysen4281
I do the same here in Holland !
@rememberthetalamo7993
@Willem van Frankenhuysen Awesome!
@wossle73
Yeah! But the Popular Music Industry Has a Loooong history of "Buried Songs"!
I'm a P!NK FAN & I can sing along to EVERY Song of Her's :)
I love 'YOUTUBE' I Discover "NEW" Better Music All the time! :) Happy!
@kathleenhartman1368
I remember when this album came out. My brother bought. It's a good album.
@wombatcarebundanoon942
Fantastic song and album......loved it for a long time...still do.always fresh and fun too.
@wombatcarebundanoon942
STILL LOVE IT!!
@ArielVisionary
Beautiful music, great video, wonderful song.
@grantkoeller8911
fantastic song!!!!!