Green Onions / Behave Yourself
Booker T. & The M.G.'s burst onto the early Blues and Soul scene worldwide with their superb hit Green Onions. Written by Booker aged 16 and Steve Cropper aged 14. It was originally planned to be released as the B side of the blues number Behave Yourself. If you listen to Help Me by Sonny Boy Williamson, you may notice that the backing track sounds almost identical to Green Onions - not sure if there was any connection.
This unmistakeable instrumental was incredibly popular then at the Manchester Twisted Wheel in 1963 and remained so throughout the decade and still gets occasional airings. The B side was often played by Roger Eagle as a closing number at the Manchester club in its early days.
Booker T and the MG's had a long string of tunes that were played at the premier soul clubs in the city, especially at the Blue Note where a night's session would always include at least one of their records.
The play list is long - Green Onions, Behave Yourself, Outrage, Hole In The Wall (as The Packers), Soul Dressing, Chinese Chequers, On Mint Julip, Boot Leg, Jelly Bread, Be My Lady, My Sweet Potato, Can't Be Still, Hip-Hug-Her, Grovin' Hang Em High, Slim Jenkins Joint, Mrs Robinson, Time Is Tight, Soul Limbo and many more.
The group line up included: Booker T Jones (named after the famous Civil Rights leader Booker T Washington)
Duck Dunn the bass guitar (with shades and often a pipe)
The colonel Steve Cropper (with beard)
Al Jackson Jnr the MG's Drummer, was shot dead by a burglar in his home October 1st 1975
The Blues Brothers Band
They appeared at Newcastle City Hall Saturday 23 April 2005
And at London's Barbican Monday 25 April the same year.
Booker T and the MGs - concert ticket, April 2005, Newcastle, UK
Steve Cropper signing autographs at Newcastle
The guys were really great at the performance, and after signed autographs and chatted a while with a few of us that had waited outside in the cold for over an hour for them to come out.
They made certain that everyone got a handshake, and things signed. They were quite humble, really likable. I asked Steve Cropper if he remembered the Manchester Free Trade Hall concert in 1967.
When everyone gave massive applause as his name was called out. He said it was remarkable that tour with Otis. Duck Dunn said he was amazed and pleased to still be around after all that time!
