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
On a Saturday Night
Booker T. & the MG's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when I found my baby
I'm going to kick back the rugs
I'm gonna pull down the shades
Well, I know everything gonna work out fine
Just me and my baby and a glass of wine
On a Saturday night, oh, yeah
Listen, if we're gonna have a good time
And it might as well be a good time
We're gonna kick back the rug
We're gonna pull down the shade
'Cause I got a get you to be with you
'Cause you're kind of love, I can never get enough
On a Saturday night, oh, yeah
On a Saturday night
Alright, work it out son
Well, I'm looking for my baby, oh, yeah
And when I find my baby
We're gonna go in the back door
I'm gonna lock up the front door
Well, I know everything, gonna work out fine
Just me and my baby and a good old wine
On a Saturday night
You know what I'm talking about, fellas, listen
On a Saturday night, oh, yeah, alright now
On a Saturday night, oh, yeah, darling
On a Saturday night, everything uptight, baby
On a Saturday night
Just do it, alright now, yeah
On a Saturday night
The lyrics of "On a Saturday Night" by Booker T. & the MG's talk about the singer's desire to find his lover and spend the night with her. He wants to kick back the rugs and pull down the shades to create an intimate atmosphere. He knows that everything will work out fine as long as he is with his lover and a glass of wine. He emphasizes on having a good time with his lover and enjoying their precious moments together.
The verses of the song keep repeating the same idea of finding his lover and spending the night together. The lyrics have a lively and optimistic tone, with a fun and catchy melody that complements the lyrics. The song has an upbeat rhythm that induces the listener to dance and enjoy the music.
Overall, the song reflects the joy of love and the happiness it brings to our lives. It portrays how love can brighten up our mood and energize us to live life to the fullest. The song's simplicity and honesty make it a timeless classic that can resonate with people of all ages and backgrounds.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I'm looking for my, baby
I am searching for my love interest and I want to be with them.
And when I found my baby
When I finally find my love interest, my purpose would be fulfilled.
I'm going to kick back the rugs
I will remove all obstacles and distractions which prevent me from enjoying the moment with my lover.
I'm gonna pull down the shades
I will ensure that there are no external factors which hinder our emotional and physical bonding.
Well, I know everything gonna work out fine
I am positive that my union with my lover will be is successful and rewarding.
Just me and my baby and a glass of wine
With our togetherness, a moderate amount of wine and peaceful environment, we will enjoy each other's company.
On a Saturday night, oh, yeah
This is our special moment to bond so we will make the most of it.
Listen, if we're gonna have a good time
We are determined to enjoy ourselves and celebrate our union.
And it might as well be a good time
We will strive to make the most of our time together.
We're gonna kick back the rug
We are planning to have a private and comfortable space to bond, free from burden and stress.
We're gonna pull down the shade
We will remove all unnecessary distractions that could hamper our union.
'Cause I got a get you to be with you
I am deeply drawn to you and cannot get enough of your company.
'Cause you're kind of love, I can never get enough
Your love is irresistible, and I can never get enough of it.
Alright, work it out son
We are pumped up and can't wait to celebrate our love.
We're gonna go in the back door
We will have privacy and make the most of our union.
I'm gonna lock up the front door
I want us to be fully present in the moment, without any intrusion from the external world.
On a Saturday night, oh, yeah, alright now
We are excited about spending this quality time together.
On a Saturday night, oh, yeah, darling
This is our special moment together, and we cherish it.
On a Saturday night, everything uptight, baby
We want to relax, de-stress and find peace for our souls through bonding together.
Just do it, alright now, yeah
We will make the most of our precious moment together and bond deeply
On a Saturday night
Our bonding moment together is symbolized by a great Saturday night.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EDDIE FLOYD, STEVE CROPPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind