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.
The Power
Norman Greenbaum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Girlfriend told him she had enough of him
Sweetwater Johnny, love′s gone sour
He lost the power
Sweetwater William, there he is smilin'
Got a new girlfriend, said she′d stand by him
Sweetwater William, head's in a tower
The power, the power, if you got the power
Girls either will or they won't
The power, the power, girl, the power
You either got it or you don′t
Now listen, people
Yeah, I′m gonna tell you somethin' about power
Sweetwater Jimmy, shy with the ladies
He′s so bashful, he isn't ready
Sweetwater Jimmy, you need an hour
An hour to power
The power, the power, if you got the power
Girls either will or they won′t
The power, the power, girl, the power
You either got it or you don't
Oh yeah
You either got it or you don′t, no, no, no
The lyrics of Norman Greenbaum’s song “The Power” is about the significance of power in a person’s ability to attract and retain romantic interests. The song tells the story of Sweetwater Johnny who has lost his power after his girlfriend left him, and Sweetwater William who has gained power with his new girlfriend. It also features Sweetwater Jimmy who is shy and lacking in confidence with women, and needs an ‘hour to power.’
Greenbaum’s lyrics suggest that having power is a crucial factor in successful romantic relationships. The power to attract is not necessarily based on physical appearance or material possessions, but rather a less tangible quality that some people possess and others lack. The song implies that individuals can either have the power or not have it at all, and that it can only be gained or lost through experiences.
The song is a reflection of the '60s and '70s era when self-expression and individualism were being embraced. It highlights the importance of self-confidence and personal power as attractive qualities. It also touches upon societal expectations for men to assert power in romantic relationships.
Overall, “The Power” is a catchy tune that speaks to the human desire for romance and the innate search for personal power and self-confidence in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweetwater Johnny got no one to love him
Sweetwater Johnny is lonely and has no one to love.
Girlfriend told him she had enough of him
His girlfriend broke up with him because she was tired of him.
Sweetwater Johnny, love′s gone sour
Sweetwater Johnny's love life has turned sour.
He lost the power
Sweetwater Johnny has lost his ability to attract women.
Sweetwater William, there he is smilin'
Sweetwater William is happy and content.
Got a new girlfriend, said she′d stand by him
Sweetwater William has a new girlfriend who will support him.
Sweetwater William, head's in a tower
Sweetwater William is on top of the world.
He got the power
Sweetwater William has the ability to attract women.
The power, the power, if you got the power
The ability to attract women is known as 'the power.'
Girls either will or they won't
Women either find a man attractive or they don't.
The power, the power, girl, the power
The ability to attract women is important.
You either got it or you don′t
Men either have the ability to attract women or they don't.
Now listen, people
The singer wants to make a point.
Yeah, I′m gonna tell you somethin' about power
The singer is going to give an explanation about 'the power.'
Sweetwater Jimmy, shy with the ladies
Sweetwater Jimmy is shy with women.
He′s so bashful, he isn't ready
Sweetwater Jimmy is too shy to pursue women.
Sweetwater Jimmy, you need an hour
Sweetwater Jimmy needs some time to prepare and gain confidence.
An hour to power
Sweetwater Jimmy needs time to gain the ability to attract women.
Writer(s): Norman Greenbaum
Contributed by John J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Brian Bannon
❤💥
Shivyrdin
Ооо да! Я нашел золотую жилу в музыке, и она полностью моя, тут никого
Shivyrdin
@plantedclover сравнительно))
plantedclover
no one here you say?