In 1965, Steinberg was replaced by Donald "Duck" Dunn, who played with the group until his death in 2012. Al Jackson, Jr. was murdered in 1975, after which Dunn, Cropper and Jones reunited on numerous occasions using various drummers, including Willie Hall, Anton Fig, Steve Jordan and Steve Potts.
The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2008, and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2012.
Having two white members (Cropper and Dunn), Booker T. & the M.G.'s was one of the first racially integrated rock groups, at a time when soul music and the Memphis music scene in particular were generally considered the preserve of black culture.
Formed in 1962 in Memphis, Tennessee, Booker T and the MG's ("MG" officially stood for "Memphis Group", and is usually punctuated correctly on LP covers as "M.G.") became one of the most important soul outfits in the history of music. They were indispensable as the house band for Stax Records, backing many rising artists (Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Albert King, and many others), but it was the MGs themselves that put Stax on the map with such singles as "Green Onions", which reached number three on the Pop Charts, and "Hip Hug-Her", which reached number six on the Pop Charts.
The group consisted of four core members: Booker T. Jones on keyboards and organ (as well as many other instruments), Steve Cropper on guitar, Al Jackson Jr. on drums, and Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass. Cropper and Dunn were originally in the first house band for Stax, The Mar-Keys, and later were part of the Blues Brothers, both in the band and in the movie. Various others added horns and other instruments, and a young Isaac Hayes covered the keys on at least one session.
Not only were they blazing new trails with their funky instrumental soul music, but also with their integration of races, as two of them were white (Donald "Duck" Dunn and Steve Cropper) and two of them were black (Booker T. Jones and Al Jackson), which was very unusual for 1962.
In 2007 the documentary Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story was released, with interviews and footage in which Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Wayne Jackson and Donald Duck Dunn are interviewed about the history and successes of Stax, among many others Stax' people.
Donald Duck Dunn died in his sleep at age 70 on Sunday, May 13, 2012.
Lewie Steinberg died on July 21, 2016 in Memphis at the age of 82.
(2) As the house band at Stax Records in Memphis, Tennessee, Booker T. & the MG's may have been the single greatest factor in the lasting value of that label's soul music, not to mention Southern soul as a whole. Their tight, impeccable grooves could be heard on classic hits by Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Carla Thomas, Albert King, and Sam & Dave, and for that reason alone, they would deserve their subsequent induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But in addition to their formidable skills as a house band, on their own they were one of the top instrumental outfits of the rock era, cutting classics like "Green Onions," "Time Is Tight," and "Hang 'em High."
The anchors of the Booker T. sound were Steve Cropper, whose slicing, economic riffs influenced many other guitar players, and Booker T. Jones himself, who provided much of the groove with his floating organ lines. In 1960, Jones started working as a session man for Stax, where he met Cropper. Cropper had been in the Mar-Keys, famous for the 1961 instrumental hit "Last Night," which laid out the prototype for much of the MG's (and indeed Memphis soul's) sound with its organ-sax-guitar combo. With the addition of drummer Al Jackson and bassist Lewis Steinberg, they became Booker T. & the MG's. Within a couple years, Steinberg was replaced permanently by Donald "Duck" Dunn, who, like Cropper, had also played with the Mar-Keys.
The band's first and biggest hit, "Green Onions" (a number three single in 1962), came about by accident. Jamming in the studio while fruitlessly waiting for Billy Lee Riley to show up for a session, they came up with a classic minor-key, bluesy soul instrumental, distinguished by its nervous organ bounce and ferocious bursts of guitar. For the next five years, they'd have trouble recapturing its commercial success, though the standard of their records remained fairly high, and Stax's dependence upon them as the house band ensured a decent living.
In the late '60s, the MG's really hit their stride with "Hip Hug-Her," "Groovin'," "Soul-Limbo," "Hang 'em High," and "Time Is Tight," all of which were Top 40 charters between 1967 and 1969. Since the presence of black and white musicians made them a biracial band, the MG's set a somewhat under-appreciated example of both how integrated, self-contained bands could succeed, and how both black and white musicians could play funky soul music. As is the case with most instrumental rock bands, their singles contained their best material, and the band's music is now best appreciated via anthologies. But their albums were far from inconsequential, and occasionally veered into ambitious territory (they did an entire instrumental version of the Beatles' Abbey Road, which they titled McLemore Avenue in honor of the location of Stax's studios).
Though they'd become established stars by the end of the decade, the group began finding it difficult to work together, not so much because of personnel problems, but because of logistical difficulties. Cropper was often playing sessions in Los Angeles, and Jones was often absent from Memphis while he finished his music studies at Indiana University. The band decided to break up in 1971, but were working on a reunion album in 1975 when Al Jackson was tragically shot and killed in his Memphis home by a burglar. The remaining members were active as recording artists and session musicians in the following years, with Cropper and Dunn joining the Blues Brothers for a stint in the late '70s.
The MG's got back into the spotlight in early 1992, when they were the house band for an extravagant Bob Dylan tribute at Madison Square Garden. More significantly, in 1993 they served as the backup band for a Neil Young tour, one which brought both them (and Young) high critical marks. The following year, they released a comeback album, arranged in much the style of their vintage '60s sides, which proved that their instrumental skills were still intact. Like most such efforts, though, it ultimately failed to re-create the spark and spontaneity it so obviously wanted to achieve. Jones continued with his own musical output through the following decades, often lending his instrumental skills to other artists and occasionally issuing his own albums, such as the 2009 solo effort Potato Hole. Bassist Dunn, intermittently active with festival and tour appearances after the turn of the millennium, had been touring with Cropper and Eddie Floyd in Japan during May 2012 when he died in his sleep in a Tokyo hotel. ~ Richie Unterberger, Rovi
Let It Be
Booker T. & the MG's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I stay out all night if I feel like
And no one bothers me
And I don't feel the fright and I don't cry all night
I'm happy being me
Oh oh and if I go out all night
And if I fall out of sight ooooo
No one will question me
I got my life back
From all that calamity you threw at me
Cause I forgive you
And ya not going to
Bother me
I got my life back
You see
Now one time
You sang a line
To me
You sang it out
You hung around
Being free
But you can not write
And you broke a peace
But my life any more I take my life back now please
I'll take my life back now please
I take my life back now please
And it's better than it u even better than it used to be
The lyrics of Booker T. & the MG's song "Let It Be" speak to a sense of newfound freedom and liberation after a period of turmoil and difficulty. The opening lines suggest a feeling of returning to a past state of being, where the singer can now stay out all night without fear or worry. There is a sense of reclaiming one's independence and autonomy, where the singer no longer feels shackled by past constraints and can simply be themselves without judgement or interference from others. This newfound sense of contentment is emphasized by the repeated line "I'm happy being me," indicating a self-assuredness and inner peace that was previously lacking.
As the lyrics progress, there is a clear declaration of reclaiming control over one's own life in the face of adversity. The mention of "all that calamity you threw at me" suggests a turbulent past filled with challenges and obstacles, yet the singer has found a way to forgive and move forward. There is a resolute determination to not let past hurts impede their progress any longer, as they assert, "I got my life back, from all that calamity you threw at me." This conveys a sense of resilience and inner strength, as the singer refuses to be unduly influenced or bothered by external negativity.
The lyrics also touch upon the idea of personal growth and maturity, as the singer reflects on past experiences and lessons learned. The reference to a past interaction where a line was sung to them suggests a moment of shared intimacy or vulnerability, which may have been overshadowed by subsequent betrayal or disappointment. Despite this, the singer acknowledges the importance of forgiveness and moving forward, as they assert their right to reclaim their life and their sense of self. This highlights the theme of self-empowerment and agency, where the singer asserts their right to live life on their own terms, free from the constraints of past traumas or mistakes.
The closing lines of the song convey a sense of optimism and renewal, as the singer declares that their life is now better than it has ever been. By taking back control and asserting their own agency, the singer has found a sense of liberation and peace that surpasses anything they have experienced before. The repetition of the line "I take my life back now please" reinforces this idea of reclaiming one's own narrative and destiny, leaving behind the past and embracing a brighter, more fulfilling future. Overall, the lyrics of "Let It Be" eloquently capture the themes of resilience, forgiveness, and self-empowerment, offering a message of hope and renewal for the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
It seems like, it's almost like it used to be
I have found a sense of familiarity and comfort in my life again
I stay out all night if I feel like
I have the freedom to do as I please without any restrictions
And no one bothers me
I am finding peace and solitude in my own company
And I don't feel the fright and I don't cry all night
I have overcome my fears and sadness, feeling content with myself
I'm happy being me
I have found happiness and acceptance in who I am
Oh oh and if I go out all night
Even if I choose to stay out late, it is my decision and no one can question it
And if I fall out of sight ooooo
If I disappear for a while, no one will be concerned or try to find me
No one will question me
I am free from judgment and scrutiny, able to live my life without interference
Feels like it's just like it used to be
I am reclaiming the peace and happiness I once had in my life
I got my life back
I have regained control and ownership of my own life
From all that calamity you threw at me
Despite the challenges and chaos you caused, I have moved past it and found peace
Cause I forgive you
I have chosen to let go of any anger or resentment towards you
And ya not going to
I refuse to let your actions continue to affect me
Bother me
I will not allow myself to be troubled by you any longer
You see
I want you to understand and acknowledge my decision
Now one time
There was a moment in the past
You sang a line
You expressed yourself with words or actions
To me
Directed towards me
You sang it out
You made your feelings or thoughts known
You hung around
You stayed in my life and presence
Being free
Feeling liberated and unburdened by constraints
But you can not write
You were unable to maintain your promises or commitments
And you broke a peace
You caused conflict and disrupted the tranquility
But my life any more I take my life back now please
I am taking back control of my life and refusing to allow you to disrupt it further
I'll take my life back now please
I am reclaiming my independence and peace of mind
I take my life back now please
I am asserting my right to live life on my own terms
And it's better than it u even better than it used to be
Now, my life is even more fulfilling and joyful than it ever was before
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: marla booker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Keith Roberts
Priceless footage!
hugo dulisse
Goosebumps!
Mike Hunt
This song cranks so much
The Haught Corner
Brilliant.
Bruce Gelman
Bad ass
Jillian Wolfenden
Is this not the cricket tune?
Gazely Gaze
Nearly right! It is the same musicians, Booker T & the MGs - but the BBC cricket test match theme was 'Soul Limbo'. Here:- https://youtu.be/67xXbTaQlKI
Gazely Gaze
Their most famous tune is Green Onions, that every band learned to play (eg Johnny Thunders). They're also the backing to Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and countless others (along with the Memphis Horns).
Louis de Wit
Beautiful negro. Now in his eighties. Time flies. I remember when this was a hit. Haven’t heard it for … 40 years.