There was quite a mix of hit songs in 1968, that year of great musical transition, as FM radio began to rival AM. There were soft singles like “Love is Blue” by Paul Mauriat, and “This Guy’s in Love With You” by Herb Alpert. But there was also “Hush” by Deep Purple and this one by Canned Heat.
Normal Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky” hit the charts a couple of years later. I heard something of “On the Road Again” in it, and whenever I hear one of those records I always think of the other.
Good catch! They are very similar. Can you say “My Sweet Lord”/”He’s So Fine?” But nobody minded and I like both, especially the nifty little intro and ending on “Road.” And it’s never played enough. Too FM?