Green Onions (album)

Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox album Template:Music ratings Green Onions is the debut album by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, released on Stax Records in October 1962. It reached number 33 on the pop album chart in the month of its release. The title single was a worldwide hit and has been covered by dozens of artists, including the Blues Brothers and Roy Buchanan (both with Steve Cropper on guitar), as well as the Ventures, Al Kooper, the Shadows, Mongo Santamaría, Deep Purple (live and studio versions) and Count Basie.

Three previous Stax LPs – two by the Mar-Keys, one by Carla Thomas – had been issued on Atlantic Records. Green Onions was the first album released on the Stax label. It was also Stax's first charting album, peaking at number 33 on the Billboard 200.<ref name="Bowman">Bowman, Rob (1997). Soulsville U.S.A.: The Story of Stax Records. New York: Schirmer Trade. p.229-233 Template:ISBN</ref> The album features only instrumental songs and features Steve Cropper playing a Fender Telecaster.<ref>Electric Guitar Classics:2010 Calendar Published by Sellers Publishing, Inc. Template:Webarchive Copyright 2009</ref>

The cover photo was shot by Irving Schild, who would go on to have a 52-year career as Mad magazine's primary photographer.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The album was included in Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.<ref>^ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (23 March 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. Template:ISBN.</ref>

In 2012, the album was added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, and/or aesthetically significant".<ref name="NR11">Template:Cite web</ref>

Personnel

Booker T. & the M.G.s

• Booker T. Jones – Hammond M3 organ
• Steve Cropper – guitar
• Lewis Steinberg – double bass, bass guitar
• Al Jackson Jr. – drums

Technical

• Haig Adishian – cover design
• Irving Schild – cover photography

Chart history

Name	Chart (1962)	Peak position
Green Onions	U.S. Pop Albums Chart	33
"Green Onions"	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	3
"Green Onions"	U.S. Billboard R&B Singles	1
"Mo' Onions"	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	97
"Mo' Onions"	U.S. Billboard R&B Singles	97