-
Play on Mog
Yes, it scrobbles! Learn more
-
Play on Spotify
Yes, it scrobbles! Learn more
-
Play on Rdio
Yes, it scrobbles! Learn more
-
Play on Hype Machine
Yes, it scrobbles! Learn more
About This Track
“Green Onions” is a hit soul instrumental recorded in 1962 by Booker T. & The MG’s, composed by Steve Cropper, Al Jackson, Jr., Booker T. Jones and Lewis Steinberg. 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.
In a live cover of this tune from the album Everybody Needs The Blues Brothers, Dan Aykroyd, as his character Elwood Blues of The Blues Brothers comments on the song during a vamp, “I believe that this 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 your Brahms. Here in America, you got your Fred McDowell, your Irving Berlin, your Glen Miller, and your Booker T.
“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.
In a live cover of this tune from the album Everybody Needs The Blues Brothers, Dan Aykroyd, as his character Elwood Blues of The Blues Brothers comments on the song during a vamp, “I believe that this 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 your Brahms. Here in America, you got your Fred McDowell, your Irving Berlin, your Glen Miller, and your Booker T.
Send Ringtones to Cell Similar Music
Play Booker T. & The MG's RadioWith: The Mar-Keys, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, William Bell and more…
People who listen to this also like
| Track | Duration | Listeners | ||
|
|
Booker T. & The MG's - Mo' Onions | 2:31 | 30,235 | |
| Booker T. & The MG's - Behave Yourself | 3:49 | 24,372 | ||
|
|
Sam & Dave - Soul Man | 2:39 | 155,279 | |
|
|
Wilson Pickett - In The Midnight Hour | 4:09 | 125,769 | |
|
|
Eddie Floyd - Knock On Wood | 3:29 | 73,782 | |
|
|
Wilson Pickett - Land Of 1000 Dances | 2:26 | 154,253 |
Albums featuring this track
-
Green Onions
Booker T. & The MG's
Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.99
- 7digital $8.99
- iTunes $9.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
New
-
Green Onions
Booker T & The MGs Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.99
- 7digital $8.99
- iTunes $9.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
Shouts
-
AKidCharlemagne wrote:
loveitloveitloveit
-
oldiesfanjohn wrote:
next... an order for Mo` Onions next,last.fm
-
Geeze61 wrote:
Class ! .................KTF
-
ScottKing81 wrote:
Doesn't get much groovier than this.
-
wackersska wrote:
rude ;-]
-
Konguboss wrote:
SUPER LOVE
-
Geeze61 wrote:
Awesome ! ................KTF
-
barryvs wrote:
The funkiest tune ever.
-
oldiesfanjohn wrote:
The best Onions out there are from Booker T & The MGs...some of their big hits are "Green Onions"..."Mo` Onions"..."Hip-Hug-Her"..."Time Is Tight" "..."Soul Limbo" and famously...."Hang Em High"
-
kiteo wrote:
I'm sure I've seen old film of West Indians and skinheads grooving to this in the sixties.
-
oldiesfanjohn wrote:
More onions!!!
-
Geeze61 wrote:
Bring on the Mods ! top track ........KTF
-
Metal-Kathy86 wrote:
great
-
oldiesfanjohn wrote:
oddest 2/4 time signature...aaah,the hammond B3 !
-
Tecumseh666 wrote:
pure Magie:))
-
B-AIRLINE wrote:
JUST GREAT
-
biancaseirio wrote:
loved it!
-
blues417 wrote:
Iconic sound
-
southstarmusic wrote:
tremendous :)
-
FoolmeThrice wrote:
classic as all hell
Track Stats
866,422 Scrobbles
207,045 Listeners
Recent Listening Trend
Listening Now
Top Listeners
-
chipboaz
Top Listener
-
silverdrum
Top Listener
-
CoperWhite
Top Listener
-
StelanYelda
Top Listener
Recent Activity
-
andysnaps added Green Onions to andysnaps’s library. 5 minutes ago
-
euphonic22, SawCandy211, alexandrataylor and 2 other people loved Booker T. & The MG's – Green Onions. 2 hours ago
-
symmetriKal added Green Onions to symmetriKal’s library. yesterday evening
-
Tata_Dealera, operoc, karatepop and 3 other people loved Booker T. & The MG's – Green Onions. yesterday evening
-
richardthebrick added Green Onions to richardthebrick’s library. Friday evening
-
synthdrumsnvox and TimothySeigh loved Booker T. & The MG's – Green Onions. Friday evening
-
anneslifka added Green Onions to anneslifka’s library. Friday afternoon
-
PascalFortier, BooyakaA, supergg2k and 1 other person loved Booker T. & The MG's – Green Onions. Friday afternoon
-
berezich tagged Booker T. & The MG's – Green Onions with funk, instrumental and soul. Friday morning
-
VincentPrice, arielpoe, steviecartmill and 3 other people loved Booker T. & The MG's – Green Onions. Friday morning
Related Journals
-
Most Exciting and Influential Popular Songs (In History) Part 1
by thomas10 |
18 Aug 2010
| 11 comments
-
Space Cowboys
by psychedali |
8 Mar 2010
-
Recommended Songs (Sorted by Musical compatibility)
by Batiste369 |
26 Feb 2010
