Green Onions

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“Green Onions”
Single by Booker T. & the M.G.s
from the album Green Onions
B-side "Behave Yourself"
Released August 1962
Format 7"
Recorded Memphis, Tennessee
Genre Soul, R&B
Length 2:45
Label Volt
102
Stax
127
Writer(s) Booker T. Jones
Steve Cropper
Lewis Steinberg
Al Jackson, Jr.
This article is about the instrumental. For the album, see Green Onions (album). For the vegetable, see Scallion.

"Green Onions" is a hit soul instrumental recorded in 1962 by Booker T. & the M.G.s. The tune is a twelve bar blues with a rippling Hammond organ line. According to guitarist Steve Cropper its name arose from the band members' efforts to think of a title that was "as funky as possible".[1]

"Green Onions" entered the Billboard Hot 100 in September of 1962 where it remained for 16 weeks, peaking at number 3. Originally issued on the Volt subsidiary of Stax Records, it was quickly reissued on Stax proper; it also appeared on the hit album Green Onions. The recording did not chart in the UK until January 1980 after being featured in the 1979 film Quadrophenia.

"Green Onions" has been used extensively in radio, television, film and advertising. The tune is also a favorite at baseball parks across the United States.

"Green Onions" was ranked #181 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. The song is sometimes rumored to be originally a John Lee Hooker song[citation needed].

Contents

[edit] Appearances in film

[edit] Other appearances

[edit] Citations

  1. ^ Greenberg, Steve (1994). The Very Best of Booker T. & the MG's [CD liner notes]. Los Angeles: Rhino Records.

[edit] External links

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