The Blues Brothers - Green Onions (Official Audio)

The Blues Brothers - Green Onions (Official Audio)
From 'Made In America' (1980)

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Jake had a vision. It was his, the only real one he'd ever had, and he clung to it. It had always been the blues. Even back in the Rock Island City orphanage (that sweaty kid factory) Jake and Elwood were saved by the music. Actually, saved by a gray-haired janitor everybody called Curtis. He wore sinister midnight shades, a narrow black tie and a porkpie hat that he kept pushed back on his head. Curtis wrapped his waxy brown hands around his guitar neck and played the most dangerous blues this side of Robert Johnson. The nuns scorched the brothers’ days with holy threats and Curtis rescued them by night. Down in the coolness of his basement he taught them the blues and set in motion their mission: to live the healing message of music.

Silent Elwood never did put more than two sentences together, but all those lost words burned from his Special 20 blues harp. And Joliet tore that voice from some hidden darkness, twisting his chubby body, snarling at the heavens, a born sinner. They used the basement because it was secret and because the echo gave them a nice dirty sound: Howlin’ Wolf and Little Walker, slapping like a bad dream around the chilly room. And then one night, Jake brought in a gleaming E string he said came from Elmore James’ guitar. He held it tight and as it glowed in the bulb light, Jake sliced Elwood’s middle finger and then his own. Now the solo boys with soul in their blood were brothers. Jake and Elwood Blues … the Blues Brothers.

The official Blues Brothers YouTube channel is here to continue the mission. Come here for everything Blues Brothers, from our classic albums to upcoming events and profiles of BB accomplices.

[victorjohnson]

The Blues Brothers Bass Player (Dunn) was also in "Booker T and the MGs" the band that wrote this song.

[qtagamahyoutube]

i cant say how much that organ screams amazingness

[Chris.Apache]

That was the first album i listened to when I was 4 or 5 years old. That song got stuck in my brain!!! It's still one of the coolest tunes out there.

[grosbec]

STAX should be regarded as a major contribution to world culture

[sherimamagg]

i now have levi's madev n mexico, egypt, none from usa anymore elwood, miss ya jake... gone mopar 442!!❤❤❤

[chrisreott]

This song screams to me. It is probably my favorite song (this version). This album is top of the list too.

[kevinarnold]

All right people. The rest of the hard working all star Blues Brothers are
gonna be out here in a minute, including my little brother Jake. But
right now, I`d like to talk a little bit about this tune you`re hearing.
This is ofcourse the Green Onions tune. It was a very big hit in the
early sixties in this country. And ofcourse it was composed and
recorded in Memphis, Tennessee, right here in the United States Of
America. You know, people, I believe that this tune can be
acquinted with the great classical music around the world. Now you
go to Germany, you`ve got your Bach, your Beethoven, your
Brahms... Here in America you`ve got your Fred McDowell, your
Irving Berlin, your Glenn Miller, and your Booker T & The MG`s,
people. Another example of the great contributions in music and
culture that this country has made around the world. And as you
look around the world today, you see this country spurned. You see
backs turned on this country. Well people, I`m gonna tell you
something, this continent, North America, is the stronghold! This is
where we`re gonna make our stand in this decade! Yeah, people,
I`ve got something to say to the State Department. I say Take that
archaic Monroe Doctrine, and that Marshall Plan that says we`re
supposed to police force the world, and throw `em out! Let`s stay
home for the next ten years people! Right here in North America
and enjoy the music and culture that is ours. Yeah, I got one more
thing to say. I`m just talking about the music, people, and what it
does to me. And that is, as you look around the world, you go to the
Soviet Union or Great Britain or France, you name it, any country...
Everybody is doing flips and twists just to get into a genuine pair of
American blue jeans! And to hear this music and we got it all here
in America, the land of the Chrysler 440 cubic inch engine!

[bruceallen]

Excellent song that tells a story. Thumb up.

[matthewturley]

I have been trying to find this for hours and remembered it!

[BK_]

We got it all here in America!
The land of the Chrysler 440 cubic inch engine!! 🏁 🇺🇸

[Shamanix]

Ah, the Blues Brothers... All my best musics in life.
25 years ago, I was already a fan. It is the first VHS tape I bought. And the first DVD as well in my collection. And my most listened CD albums (I had to buy them multiple times since I reached the maximum limit of using a CD and the first one stop being usable!)
It was also the music I listened when I was at hospital for 1, 5 month, and it helped very much.
One of the most important reasons for me to travel one day in the USA...
"I've got everything I need... almost."

[t.w.]

190 years of my father's fathers born and raised in that same Rock Island City as Jake 'n Elwood. Something 'bout living with that mighty muddy water that's always flowing, always going, never slowing. . . . Age of 11 when my mission from god was revealed to me by John Lee singing 'n playing 'n stomping out the beat with his feet on Maxwell Street . . . No way for me to deny my body 'n spirit experiencing the light of the gods as that Maxwell street boogie surged through me . . . planting thick blue roots in my soulhole. . . .I was set free that day and the blues has kept me that way. . . .Thank you., Brothers Blue.

[FrankHeuvelman]

04:00 << This organ solo really creeps me out every time and was in itself reason enough for this Dutchman to buy this album. It sounds as if he could just prevent his B3 from exploding into a total collapse on stage. I learned so much from this single solo. So much power. So dynamic. An excellent band. White musicians with a Motown soul.

[thomassby]

Now that organ has the most snazzy sound...
"let's stay home for the next ten years people.." Anyone listening to this as the US is getting out of Afghanistan?

[danielisrael]

I was 9 when this song came out in 1967, 65 now

[mikewomeldorff]

It ain't possible to beat The Blues Brothers and the Isleys

[baneciric]

Everybody is doing flips and twists just to get into a genuine pair of
American blue jeans! And to hear this music and we got it all here in
America, the land of the Chrysler 440 cubic inch engine! :)

[bobtaranto]

I bought the BB's LP Made ln America just after it first came out (official release date was 12/8/80--scary, huh?!?), & l fell in love with it immediately! Basically a live show recorded during filming of their movie. Heard this song on the radio in early '81, & went huntin for it the next day! Oh, how l WISH there was a video made of that show; l'd buy it immediately, if not sooner! My favorite live LP of all time!!

[evilcraig]

We need more music like this more than ever. We need to be united not divided.

[jennyanimal]

That is some sick shit right there..hell yeah