• Artist: Booker T. & the MG's
• Flags: Compilation (best of), Box set
• Type: Compilation
• Rating:
• Styles: Instrumental Rock, Southern Soul, R&B
• Track Picks: "Green Onions," "Hip Hug-Her," "Mo' Onions"
• Similar Albums: Curtis [Japan Bonus Track], Midnight Love [Midnight Love & the Sexual Healing Sessions], Ultimate Rarities Collection, Vol. 1: Motown Sings Motown Treasures, Complete Country & Western Recordings 1959-1986, Instrumentals, Cry to Me: The Best of Freddie Scott, Her Chess Years (50th Anniversary Collection), Dresses Too Short/Is It Because I'm Black?, Wow.../Bound to Happen, Something Silver

Review

A three-CD, 65-song box set that includes all their hits from 1962 through 1971, in addition to numerous LP tracks and failed singles; the third disc is devoted entirely to previously unreleased live material (most from 1992-94) and rarities. Greatest-hits compilations will serve the needs of all but intense Booker T. and Stax fans. However, if you really dig their instrumental sound, this is a fine package. It might skip an odd worthy track from their catalog, but basically has just about everything deserving of attention, concentrating more on their original compositions than their covers. Some of the more obscure selections, like their jazzy 1967 LP cut "Pigmy" and their inventive 1969 cover of "Lady Madonna," are overlooked standouts. A number of sides here, like "Burnt Biscuits," "Fannie Mae," "Sunday Sermon," "MG Party," and the moody, dignified "Meditation," were never on album before. Other oddities fans will want to know about is a live medley of James Brown material from 1968, Albert King doing "Born Under a Bad Sign" with them live (also from 1968), a hit 1965 single ("Hole in the Wall") released under the name "the Packers," and "Booker's Theme," which was only available on the 1969 Stax various-artists sampler Soul Explosion. The 1992-94 live cuts (all previously unreleased), with various drummers in place of the late Al Jackson, show the band in decent though not amazing form, including a ten-minute jam on "Time Is Tight" and a version of "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Neil Young on vocals. The booklet contains extensive liner notes by Stax Records authority Rob Bowman. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

Tracks

CD 1

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
Green Onions		Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:53)
Behave Yourself		Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:52)
Jellybread	...	Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:27)
Home Grown		Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:11)
Burnt Biscuits		Booker T. Jones, Chips Moman	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:00)
Chinese Checkers		Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:25)
Mo' Onions		Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:50)
Tic-Tac-Toe		Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:30)
Fannie Mae		James Brown, Smokey Robinson, Terry Lewis	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:07)
Soul Dressing		Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:24)
Can't Be Still		Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(1:57)
Boot-Leg		Bonnie Hayes, Charles Packy Axton, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:03)
Outrage		Steve Cropper, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:31)
Be My Lady		Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:29)
My Sweet Potato		Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:40)
Hip Hug-Her		Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:22)
Summertime		George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Dubose Heyward	Booker T. & the MG's	(4:35)
Slim Jenkins' Place	...	Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:25)
Groovin'		Eddie Brigati, Felix Cavaliere	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:40)
Soul Sanction		Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:30)
Pigmy		James Brown, Billy Larkin, Henry Swarn	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:55)
Booker's Notion		Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:25)
I Can Dig It	...	Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:44)
Expressway to Your Heart	...	Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:00)
You Don't Love Me	...	Willie Cobbs	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:52)
Never My Love	...	Don Addrisi	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:45)
Blue on Green	...	Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:29)
Ode to Billie Joe	...	Bobbie Gentry	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:59)

CD 2

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
Soul Limbo		Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:23)
Heads or Tails		Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:30)
Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy	...	Ray Whitley, James Cobb	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:59)
Hang 'Em High		Dominic Frontiere	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:53)
Willow Weep for Me	...	Ann Ronell	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:42)
Over Easy		Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(4:05)
Time Is Tight		Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(4:54)
Johnny, I Love You	...	Booker T. Jones	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:58)
Lady Madonna		John Lennon, Paul McCartney	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:32)
Mrs. Robinson		Paul Simon	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:41)
Soul Clap '69		Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:40)
I've Never Found a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)		Eddie Floyd, Booker T. Jones, Alvertis Isbell	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:49)
You're All I Need to Get By		Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:54)
It's Your Thing		O'Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:02)
Something		George Harrison	Booker T. & the MG's	(4:07)
Sunday Sermon		Art Jerry Miller	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:53)
McLemore Avenue [Radio Promo]	...		Booker T. & the MG's	(1:00)
Medley: Sun King/Mean Mr. Mustard/Polythene Pam/She Came in ...	...	John Lennon, Paul McCartney	Booker T. & the MG's	(10:39)
Chicken Pox	...	Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:26)
Melting Pot		Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(8:15)

CD 3

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
Gotta Serve Somebody	...	Bob Dylan	Booker T. & the MG's	(5:04)
Lay Lady Lay	...	Bob Dylan	Booker T. & the MG's	(4:00)
MG Party	...	Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:22)
Terrible Thing		Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:31)
Hole in the Wall	...	Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(2:48)
(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay	...	Steve Cropper, Otis Redding	Booker T. & the MG's	(5:07)
Booker's Theme	...	Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:06)
Albert's Rap	...		Booker T. & the MG's	(1:15)
Born Under a Bad Sign		William Bell, Booker T. Jones	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:30)
Medley: I'm With You/I Don't Mind/Oh, Baby Don'y You Weep	...	James Brown, Lowman Pauling	Booker T. & the MG's	(4:02)
Meditation		Booker T. Jones	Booker T. & the MG's	(3:59)
Green Onions		Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(4:37)
Sarasota Sunset	...	Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Anton Fig, Booker T. Jones	Booker T. & the MG's	(6:18)
I've Been Loving You Too Long	...		Booker T. & the MG's	(3:58)
Hang 'Em High		Dominic Frontiere	Booker T. & the MG's	(5:30)
Time Is Tight		Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.	Booker T. & the MG's	(10:47)
(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay [Live]	...	Steve Cropper, Otis Redding	Booker T. & the MG's	(4:50)

Credits

Booker T. & the MG's (Arranger), Booker T. & the MG's (Producer), Booker T. & the MG's (Main Performer), Steve Cropper (Guitar), Steve Cropper (Percussion), Boz Scaggs (Vocals), Neil Young (Guitar), Neil Young (Harmonica), Neil Young (Vocals), Leon Haywood (Organ), Terry Manning (Marimba), Earl Grant (Bass), Jim Keltner (Drums), Charles Packy Axton (Sax (Tenor)), Bill Belmont (Compilation Producer), Donald "Duck" Dunn (Bass), Kirk Felton (Engineer), Kirk Felton (Remastering), Kirk Felton (Audio Enhancement), Anton Fig (Drums), Isaac Hayes (Piano), Isaac Hayes (Keyboards), Isaac Hayes (Cowbell), Wayne Jackson (Trumpet), Booker T. Jones (Organ), Booker T. Jones (Piano), Booker T. Jones (Trombone), Booker T. Jones (Vocals), Booker T. Jones (Producer), Albert King (Guitar), Albert King (Vocals), Tim Mulligan (Mixing), Floyd Newman (Sax (Baritone)), Gene Parker (Trumpet), G.E. Smith (Guitar (Electric)), Jim Stewart (Supervisor), Al Jackson, Jr. (Drums), Rob Bowman (Liner Notes), Rob Bowman (Compilation Producer), Joe Tarantino (Engineer), Joe Tarantino (Audio Enhancement), Jamie Putnam (Artwork), Jamie Putnam (Package Design), Joel Brodsky (Photography), Deb Sibony (Booklet Design), Steve Potts (Drums)