"Green Onions"

[Doner Designs]

I like the Tom Petty version. Never noticed the song had an organ.

 

[Stranger Danger]

I like as a jam in a song or between songs as a segue. It works well for that even without a B3.

 

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

If I listened to the song without the organ, I would probably spontaneously synthesize the organ part in my mind, and hear it anyway.

(I saw Booker T live a few years ago, and his show does include songs without an organ. That is when he switches from organ to guitar, and plays very well. His son plays too).

 

[jmlee]

Green Onions is fundamentally just a blues and not a particularly interesting one. Booker T sold it using the timbre of the B3. It's been covered by lots of folks since without having organ as the lead voice.

Harry James' Big Band:


My fave! You gotta love Roy Buchanan...they don't make 'em like that anymore!

 

[Chris 'Wighat' Jordan]

I've played it casually with and without organ. When we had an organ it was either a B3 or an XK-5. When I've done it without organ, the guitar had an organ emulation pedal and/or rotary cabinet emulation.

I agree with most people so far: just make it sound good.

 

[PortlandBass77]

I'll bite: replace the organ with 80's synth and boom

 

[JJR58]

With "Green Onions," it's about the song and arrangement in the ears of the audience. Yeah, the organ is iconic, and I'd prefer it was in there, but as a guitar player I know that a versatile guitar or two can emulate the organ really tastefully and pull it off in style.

Check this out, I think this guitar player gets it:

Oh yeah!, he gets it.

 

[cazclocker]

gotta have the organ...otherwise it's raw onions.

THIS.

 

[DrayMiles]

Played it with and without the organ... It was filler in the set. I think it sounds ok either way...

But, for me, it ranks up there with Mustang Sally for songs I've played to the point of no return...

Superstition, is gaining momentum though...

 

[Kelly robinson]

I gotta say I find both the Harry James and Roy Buchanan versions to be sub-standard - to my mind the James song misses the funk of Booker's while the Buchanan backing band seems lost - but that's just how I see it .... I don't know how " interesting or not " it is as a blues song but I find it very enjoyable to listen to when it's well played ....

 

[lfmn16]

There is one rule in covering a song - don't suck. At the risk of getting the note-for-note police's panties in a knot, they give the audience waaaay to much credit for knowing when a song is faithfully reproduced. I can't tell you how many times over the years I've been told that I, or my band, nailed a song when I know for a fact it wasn't all that close to the original version.

Having said that, I do try to faithfully reproduce the original recording when possible, but in a trio, that's not always possible.

 

[bassrich]

Never heard any other version than the Ventures that is my Favorite. A friend of mine said there is no place for keys in Rock N Roll but I do like the original now that I've heard it.

 

[PolkaHero]

Why not? Countless cover bands play "Superstition" without the clavinet!

 

[HolmeBass]

There is one rule in covering a song - don't suck. At the risk of getting the note-for-note police's panties in a knot, they give the audience waaaay to much credit for knowing when a song is faithfully reproduced. I can't tell you how many times over the years I've been told that I, or my band, nailed a song when I know for a fact it wasn't all that close to the original version.

Having said that, I do try to faithfully reproduce the original recording when possible, but in a trio, that's not always possible.

Energy & a good pocket >> note-for-note

 

[tlc1976]

If I listened to the song without the organ, I would probably spontaneously synthesize the organ part in my mind, and hear it anyway.

(I saw Booker T live a few years ago, and his show does include songs without an organ. That is when he switches from organ to guitar, and plays very well. His son plays too).

It was less than 2 years ago I saw his show too. Excellent show, both with and without the organ. I looked up past performance images and got seats where I figured the B3 would be. Which worked out well.

I do think at this point it's pretty much a standard and if done tastefully can be covered without the organ. Honestly the first thing the song makes me think of is a beer commercial.

 

[Ric5]

Have you ever played this song by Booker T and the MG's?

Was it with or without an organ?

Would you ever perform it live like the original, but minus the organ?
(Guitar, bass, drums only)

Thanks for any feedback.

Yes I have played it without the organ ... and never played it with an organ

 

[5thsand4ths]

Have you ever played this song by Booker T and the MG's?

Was it with or without an organ?

Would you ever perform it live like the original, but minus the organ?
(Guitar, bass, drums only)

Thanks for any feedback.

We still play it. Have an organ in the band.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

We play it all the time and don't have anyone on keys. If you put energy into playing it, it goes over just fine.

That's not to say we wouldn't prefer to have someone on keys.

 

[fhm555]

I'm the anti tribute guy, the one who could care less if i nail it note for note. That kind of thing is good for chops improvement, but in all my time of seeing bands live playing songs they recorded, i can't think of a single time i've heard one played live exactly like it was recorded. They nail the structure and any instrumental hook, but otherwise, when it's played with confidence and skill who gives a $#!+ if it's note for note. When you think about it, most long running bands will even change their songs up as they roll through the years. A dense thrasher becomes a sparse acoustic tune or the only original part will be the lyrics, with a completely different musical/instrument arrangement.

The same applies to the instrumental makeup of a band. The only limit that places on a band is none. If the players are accomplished, clever, and confident there is little base material they can't make a good song out of. As with everything there are exceptions but IMLE they are very few and far between. Own your strengths and forget the idea that it's subpar if it fails to ape the original recording.

I play with a group of people who love to cover Tom Waits with nothing more two guitars, bass, and drums. We use the words and (the very basic) melodic feel, then just have fun. Our rendition of Clap Hands is a huge dance floor filler.

 

[AshInAmsterdam]

gotta have the organ...otherwise it's raw onions.

And all those do is leave a bad taste in the mouth, right?