The Resume

(November 20, 1942- )
Recorded 'Spirit In The Sky'

Why he might be annoying:

He is a one hit wonder.
He missed making the Billboard Top 50 with a 1966 novelty song 'The Eggplant That Ate Chicago.'
He is a Jew who recorded a song about Jesus Christ.
His parents were taken aback by the song until it climbed the charts, then they asked 'Got any more?' (he didn't).
Almost all the money he made for the song went to his wife when she divorced him, leaving him broke and embittered.
His career never took off after the hit and he became a California dairy farmer.
He still sometimes must explain to a misinformed journalist he remained a Jew and never became a born-again Christian.

Why he might not be annoying:

When writing the song he reckoned, much like Jewish writers of Christmas songs, there would be more market appeal for a song that mentioned Jesus than one for some Hebrew name for God.
'Spirit In The Sky' was a Top 3 smash in 1970 and sold over 2 million singles.
He stated the lyrics came quickly but the music took months to compose.
He has a modest website he runs himself and replies to most e-mail queries.
His song was featured in the movies 'Miami Blues,' 'Contact,' 'Apollo 13,' 'Wayne's World 2' and 'Remember The Titans' (receiving royalties for each).
He is proud of the song's artistic merit and how it affected some people, some who have written him how the tune was important to them following a death or other tragic event.

Credit: Scar Tactics

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Bad Hair - Male
• Celebrities Born on the Same Date [November] (Ranked: 11201942)
• I am a New Englander
• I Performed on American Bandstand [E-K]
• Jewish Composers of Christmas Songs
• Jewish Rockers
• My Song is Featured on Rock Band 2
• My Song is on Rhino's 'Have a Nice Decade: The 70's Pop Culture Box'
• My Song was Temporarily Banned After 9/11
• Profiles 15001-15250 (Ranked: 15151)
• Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time - 301-400 [Performers] (Ranked: 333)
• Scar Tactics' Profiles [Series 02]
• Silver Foxes [Gray and Don't Care]
• Sixty-Nine
• The Kentucky Headhunters Covered My Song
• VH-1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders (Ranked: 85)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 17 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 8 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 21 Votes: 52.38% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 14 Votes: 64.29% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 18 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 21 Votes: 19.05% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 22 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 51 Votes: 37.25% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 35 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 146 Votes: 45.21% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 113 Votes: 52.21% Annoying
In 2005, Out of 363 Votes: 45.45% Annoying