Green Onions

Title track carries this album hard, but the rest is still good.

Good background music for a film, nothing else.

An incredibly joyful affair with some *ultra* recognizable songs. As soon as Green Onions started rolling, I found myself thinking "Oh!!! That's what that song is called!" I don't even know where I've heard it, I just know that it's seared into my brain. The sound across here is in sort of a blues/R&B/Blues pocket, and I personally hear a little bit of early Rock & Roll (granted, it is like built out of the aforementioned genres). And the sound palette is dominated in large by a very prominent Hammond organ which I learned to love throughout this runtime. It feels like it has a very sort of blocky, chunky sound, and I find that it has a certain idiosyncratic appeal. Not to mention the playing itself, which is first rate: there are so many impressive runs and passages here that just ooze personality. The guitar playing is also very impressive, and I think it's mostly what gives me a Rock & Roll feeling. Also, there's a hell of a rhythm section with jazzy drums and some occasional upright bass rounding things out. This simple formula is used to deftly navigate a run of inspired covers, and a couple of originals. In fact, this is mostly covers, but frankly, Booker T. & The MG's rock them, so I'm fine with it. Check this out if you need something jazzy, light, and catchy (these songs will stick with you). It works really well, and the band as a unit absolutely sells it.

The engine behind Motown and the decider of what pop music was gonna sound like for the rest of the decade. It's impressive how instantly recognisable these covered and instrumental versions of songs are. I got a Woman and Twist and Shout are recognisable from the first note. Green onions is also a classic in and of itself. It doesn't really have the depth of later albums on this list and it doesn't make me want to put on a second Booker T. album, but it's a worthwile inclusion nonetheless.

The title track is iconic - of course everyone knows it (even if they can't immediately recall its name - I couldn't for the longest time).

As for the rest of the album though, I imagine discussions in the studio went something along these lines:

"Alright, we've got one banger we can market this with. How about we fill the rest of the album with dull as dishwater, lift music-esque covers of rock and roll songs? We can make a killing doing that because who cares? People will lap it up as long as we've got one decent song."

"The kids aren't that stupid though, right? Surely we've got a bit more in our locker to make this stand test of time?"

"Hmmm fair point. Suppose we could tweak "Green Onions" slightly, slow it down a bit and call it "Mo' Onions" so it sounds like we tried. Then we'll call it a day and lull everyone into submission by just doing whatever the fuck else on the other nine tracks. You with me?"

"Yeah I'm down, what about the artwork though?"

"On the off chance that any divvies out there will think they've popped into Morrisons instead, we'll make it look like a supermarket advertising hoarding."

"Genius! Some random bloke in 40 years will put this on a shrine and deem it worthy of everyone's time".

You know what? Hell yeah

This album cover has a certain appeal. Not only does it tell it like it is, but the text looks like MS Word WordArt circa 1998. Extremely ahead of its time!

Surprisingly, I do know the title song, which according to Wiki is "named after a cat known as Green Onions, whose way of walking inspired the riff". I like that. Probably a chonky cat. :3

OK, I guess these are all instrumentals! I like that too. Although I find it hard to imagine an instrumental finding commercial success these days. I wonder what the most recent one is. (Answer: Google says 'Harlem Shake' in 2013, but that is not what I'd call an instrumental. Anyway, lots of other people asked this question and had the same reaction as me, so that's nice.)

Overall, this was fine. Very middle of the road, but unique as an album.

You've probably heard it but couldn't name it or locate it. The opening track, for which this is one of the ones to hear before you die, is an iconic instrumental that's been frequently featured in things not related to green onions (apparently, the name of a cat whose walk they tried to recreate w/ that storied riff). In '62, this album must have already felt like a throwback of sorts: the no vocals thing, a strange statement to make at a time when rock-n-roll was defining itself as guitar + voice music. But a classic thing, 'tis, w/ organs vital and at times haunting: 'Stranger on the Shore.'

This is fun background music. The fourth track, green onions, I unknowingly know quite well from popular culture so it's fun to now know and have this reference. The cover of Twist and Shout is also a lot of fun. Really overall quite enjoyed this, fun background music, nothing too abrasive or offensive.

Coole Cover, möchte man mitwippen

Green onions is definitely a classic, but cant say i knew much beyond that. I think my general mood throughout the album was boredom. Everything was technically good but just didn’t move me.

In particular their version of Twist and shout just put me in mind of a fairground organ tune.

The hit being the first track of the album always makes for a nerve wracking start - will it all be downhill from there?

I actually quite enjoyed all of it, in a background music kinda way. Though this make directly correlate with how much I enjoy Hammond organ on anything.

3/5

Great and familiar jazz instrumentals.

WTF, how influential can an album be?

Cool Album. Directly the first track was a track that was sampled by a german hip hop group back in the 90s.

Can hear the influence on later music but also felt at times like I was on a seaside pier.

I had no idea that song was called Green Onions. Lots of covers, but overall some good instrumental music for background listening.

This was very enjoyable! I love me some Hammond M3 organ

Pues aparte del tema que da título al album no me ha interesado nada más, aunque tampoco me ha aburrido. Cultura musical principalmente.

Listened to the 1962 mono version. Green Onions - the whole album, but more specifically the song - reminds me of jamming with my friends in high school. We weren't nearly as cool as this album, though.

Favourite song(s): Green Onions, Mo' Onions, Behave Yourself, Comin' Home Baby. I kind of wish the whole album was just Green Onions/Mo' Onions for 35 minutes.