Green Onions

1962

Green Onions is the title of one of soul music belonging instrumental songs instrumental group Booker T. & the MG's, which was created in 1962 and developed the million-seller later.

Genesis

The soul band Booker T. & the MG's, played together in the white and black musicians, was formed in May 1962 split from the also act as the Stax Records as a session band group Mar - Keys. Three of the four members of Booker T. & the MG's came from the Mar - Keys, namely the namesake Booker T. Jones, Jr. (organ ), Steve Cropper (guitar) and drummer Al Jackson, Jr. In addition, only came bass guitarist Lewis Steinberg.

In May 1962 Booker T. & the MG's were intended as a studio band for the under contract with Sun Records rockabilly singer Billy Lee Riley. When this did not appear to booked recording session, the band took the time einzuspielen two own instrumental recordings. The song Behave Yourself was as an A- side already, because for the B-side, neither the title nor the complete instrumentation was present. Booker T. Jones and Steve Cropper developed this successively a reef, to which they remembered. Within 30 minutes, it was arranged for refining and the other instruments. After 2 Takes an instrumental piece was completed, which is known as Green Onions today. Are contradictory statements about the idea for the unusual title. Part of the literature comes from the name of a cat whose walking style was modeled on the guitar riff. Musicologist Rob Bowman and others prefer the idea of ​​a " funky ", ie strong-smelling object such as the onion because of their interviews with participants. The German translation for "green onions" is the spring onion.

The recording date is not exactly known. The matrix number for Green Onions (# 6295 ) can, however, suggest that the uptake after 22 May 1962, made ​​before June 1962 should be compared to the chronological use of other matrix numbers of the Stax recording studios. The cast was recruited from Booker T. Jones (organ ), Steve Cropper (guitar), Lewis Steinberg (bass guitar) and Al Jackson, Jr. (drums). This band members are registered at the same copyright as composers. As a producer acted the label boss of Stax Records, Jim Stewart, who oversaw the tapes during the session.

Rhythmically dominates an unusual 2/4-cycle with clear, given the bass guitar accents and almost abrupt organ riffs, garnish with staccato guitar licks, where Cropper between the role of a lead guitar and rhythm guitar back and herwechselt. The score can be a chromatic minor with a fifth as tonic recognize. The razor sharp guitar staccato of Croppers Fender Telecaster the intro were originally positioned in the second half of the guitar solo, now the solo variation is played. Booker T. Jones used a used Hammond M-3 spinet organ, Jim Stewart had bought from an older lady. Jackson's rimshot - fitting drums underpinned by its strong syncopation the danceable rhythm. "This is the best instrumental recording I 've ever heard ", which impressed Cropper known after the session.

Publication and success

It was published first as Behave Yourself / Green Onions in May 1962 the newly founded Stax subsidiary label Volt (# 102). Disc Jockey Reuben Washinton from the local radio station played WLOK the plate four times in succession, and excited by this airplay attention in the region around Memphis.

After intervention by the producer Jerry Wexler from Stax distributor Atlantic Records, the single was released again on the parent label Stax Records (# 127) on August 4, 1962 - this time in reverse page order. This change led to a huge success of the new A-side Green Onions, who arrived on 15 September 1962 Rank One of the Rhythm & Blues charts, the position she held for 4 weeks ( but not consecutively ). On September 29, 1962, she reached third place in the pop charts. This sales success was reflected, for Green Onions sold 700,000 copies within a few months, a total of over 1 million by the end of 1967. The single received a BMI Award. After this success, Donald " Duck" Dunn replaced former bass guitarist Lewis Steinberg in August 1962 for the first time at the eponymous LP Green Onions.

Green Onions was recorded of all time by the music magazine Rolling Stone in the list of 500 best songs and won a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999. Similarly, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame took him into their list of 500 songs that shaped rock and roll. Acclaimed Music put him at No. 101 of 3000 best songs of all time.

The on August 27, 1962 -established eponymous LP includes the title song and was the first LP in the catalog of Stax Records (# 701). You could at least penetrate in October 1962 to rank 33 of the pop LP charts. With the first ever single by Booker T. & the MG's not only the sound of the other instrumental recordings will be created, but also an essential basis of the Memphis sound. The group played namely from now on not only its own instrumental recordings, but instead acted as a session band in the format of a rhythm section for many soul performers of the Stax label - often supplemented by the Memphis Horns. In December 1979, a re- release of the single in the UK could reach the local hit parade for the first time and came to # 7

Cover versions

Of the total of at least 28 cover versions are highlighting the venture with a guitar accented version ( January 1963 ), Harry James & His Orchestra played a swing version with Buddy Rich on drums (LP Harry James Plays Green Onions and Other Great Hits, April 1965 ) a, King Curtis with melody leading saxophone ( March 1967 ), Count Basie with brass sections (LP Basie 's in the Bag; recorded on 15 and 17 August 1967), Mongo Santamaria presented a Latin jazz version ( December 1969), Bill Doggett (LP Every Day I Have the Blues; April 1971 ), Roy Buchanan ( September 1977) or the patriotic commenting Blues Brothers ( LP Made in America, December 1980) - all instrumental versions.

Reception

Dan Aykroyd commented on the live recording of the song for the Blues Brothers album Made in America:

" I believe thatthis tune can be equated with the great classical music around the world. Well now you go to Germany, you got your Bach, your Beethoven and Brahms your. Here in America, you got your Fred McDowell, your Irving Berlin, your Glenn Miller, and your Booker T. & the MG's! "

"I believe that this piece by the great classical music in the world can be equated. In Germany you have Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. Here in America we have Fred McDowell, Irving Berlin, Glenn Miller and Booker T. & the MG's! "

The song Green Onions was often used in radio, television and film. , The Flamingo Kid (3 July 1986), Dragon: So the piece in the soundtrack of American Graffiti (1 August 1973) and in the films Quadrophenia ( November 9, 1979 premiere in Germany ): The Bruce Lee Story appears (June 17, 1993), the Sandlot -Kids (July 21, 1994) Houseguest (6 January 1995), Get Shorty (29 February 1996), Chicken Run (10 August 2000) or the maverick (8 April 2010). Also used the software company Electronic Arts at the song's Menu her playing skate.