In 1962, a record was created, through a spur-of-the-moment jam, of four musicians in Memphis, Tennessee. That record, ‘Green Onions’, went on to become the most popular instrumental ever recorded. Released in the summer of 1962, the single topped the R&B charts and peaked at No. 3 on the pop chart, before selling a million copies.
The four musicians, Booker T. Jones on Hammond M3 organ, Lewis Steinberg on bass, Steve Cropper on guitar and Al Jackson Jr. on drums became known as Booker T and the MGs, (short for Memphis Group). Their first album, Green Onions, was released in September of that year on Stax Records, the legendary Memphis-based record company that shaped the Memphis Sound in the 1960s.
To celebrate this anniversary, Rhino Records is releasing a newly remastered version on green vinyl: Green Onions: 60th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. The music also will be available on CD and from digital streaming services. The album features new notes from David Ritz, an American author who interviewed two of the group’s founding members, Booker T. Jones and Steve Cropper, for this release.
In these notes, Jones and Cropper relay the tale of how they accidentally created a masterpiece. As they were the house band for Stax Records they were booked to record some demos, but the scheduled singer arrived unable to sing. Instead of leaving, the band started playing around with a blues riff. The gorgeous richness of the Hammond, combined with the guitar, bass and drums is so appealing and memorable. It’s not hard to see why Jim Stewart, the owner of Stax, who was engineering the session that day, recorded the band jamming unbeknown to them.
When they had finished, he loved it so much that he wanted to release it immediately as a single. The group agreed and returned to the studio to write and record a B-side for the new song they named “Behave Yourself.” Cropper then took the unnamed B side to a local DJ for KLOK, who played it on the air four times in a row. People rang up asking where they could buy the song. ‘Green Onions’ graduated to the A-side and thus created history!
Booker T was only 18 at the time, already quite a veteran, when the track brought the musicians together on the Memphis scene. Later, Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn would be part of the line-up. They would go on to record further beguiling tracks such as ‘Time Is Tight’ and became the house band for the musicians for Stax Records including Otis Redding and Sam and Dave, amongst many others.
Green Onions, the album was not only their first album but the first one ever released on Stax. Booker T. Jones became known, early on in life, as an accomplished musician. By the time he started high school, he was a semi-pro. His first instrument was the string bass, but he quickly switched to the organ, which became his signature style.
On the album, after the iconic “Green Onions” track 2, “Rinky-Dink” displays more of Booker T’s skills on the Hammond. Not as instantly groovy as “Green Onions” it still has that cool funkiness to it. Track 3, “I Got A Woman” has such a lovely quality to it, it’s great reviewing it on vinyl, as it sounds richer, and the bass really comes through. Steve Cropper’s southern drawl of a guitar sounds amazing and smooth, it’s just a great combination.
Track 4. “Mo’ Onions” is more of a variation on “Green Onions” with such a sharp rhythm to it, you could cut yourself on it. “Twist and Shout” is a cover, that I’ve heard many times before. But this is such a classic version that it displays all their talents as musicians. Track 6, “Behave Yourself” has such a wonderful blues riff running through it.
What added to the authenticity of listening to the album is I had to turn it over to Side two, what a novelty! Track 1 on Side 2 was a version of Acker Bilk’s “Stranger on The Shore.” I’m not a fan of this track but there’s no denying their flawless talents. It’s the same with “One Who Really Loves You” not one of my favourites. But then “I Can’t Sit Down” comes on with such a great groove and guitar, it’s like velvet to the ears.
By 1971 the band parted ways but formed intermittently thereafter. In 1992 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “Green Onions” the track, is as popular as ever and has been covered by The Blues Brothers, Deep Purple and Count Basie. It’s had appearances in many TV shows and films such as Quadrophenia, The Sopranos and The Vietnam War. To date, the song has been streamed nearly 200 million times.
“Green Onions” is an enduring legacy of a magical moment in history. A group of musicians started the day jamming to themselves and ending in defining the sound of Southern soul.
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