Booker T. & The MGs - McLemore Avenue (1970)

I'm saddened by the death today of bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn (1941-2012), but choose to celebrate his musical contributions by listening to this great CD.

As you can guess by the album cover, this is Booker T. & The MGs' re-imagining of The Beatles' Abbey Road. Abbey Road was released in September 1969; recording on this album began early in 1970. Because the original Beatles album was so new, MGs guitarist Steve Cropper says he hadn't even heard the original music when the band started recording their versions saying, "Booker told me every note to play." Critic Thom Jurek writes, "Booker T. & the MG's turned an already hip record into one that was funky as hell. Not only is McLemore Avenue a stellar interpretation of Abbey Road, it's one of the finest Booker T. & the MG's albums to boot." I wholeheartedly agree. This reissue contains excellent liner notes by Ashley Kahn.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #107
• Billboard R&B: #19

Tracks: Don't skip any tracks here. There are three medleys, but they differ from the famous medleys of the original Beatles album:

Track 1: Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End/Here Comes the Sun/Come Together - 15:48
Track 2: Something - 4:09
Track 3: Because/You Never Give Me Your Money - 7:26
Track 4: Sun King/Mean Mr. Mustard/Polythene Pam/She Came In Through the Bathroom Window/I Want You (She's So Heavy) - 10:40

Of the three medleys, the first is the best, mainly because of the treatment they give Here Comes The Sun. The true gem of the album, however, is Something. Something is a beautiful song in the first place, but the band really goes all out here, kicking into a stomp about 2 minutes in.

Bonus tracks: This CD reissue also compiles 5 other Beatles covers by the band recorded in the 1960's for other releases. The best of these is Day Tripper.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: This reissue was remastered and re-released on CD in 2011. I visited the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, 926 East McLemore Ave, in December of last year and, after touring the museum (again), picked this up in the gift shop of the museum. In other words, I bought my copy of McLemore Avenue on McLemore Avenue.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Booker T. - Potato Hole (2009)
Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere - Nudge It Up A Notch (2008)