Booker T On ‘Green Onions’ Being In Uber Eats Super Bowl Commercial

Booker T Jones is a certified music legend. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner, the frontman of Booker T and the M.G.s has played with everyone.

In his remarkable career he has played with Otis Redding, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Albert King, Sam and Dave, Willie Nelson, John Lee Hooker, Mable John, Bill Withers and the list goes on.

Now at 80 years old, Booker T has achieved another great honor. His iconic 1962 hit, “Green Onions,” was the soundtrack to Uber Eats Super Bowl ad starring Matthew McConaughey and a slew of star cameos.

I spoke with Booker T about the spot and his love for football.

Steve Baltin: I’ve seen you play with Neil Young. You’ve obviously worked with Sam Moore, Otis Redding, you’ve worked with all the greatest musicians, you’ve been part of such history, but did you ever imagine that you would have your music at the Super Bowl?

Booker T: Man, I never did. My first experience with football was in high school and we played every game in the high school band. Maurice White was the drummer and it was such a connection to football for me and my life and my family and my friends. This is just great. Whoever did the cutting, cut it in so well, cause it’s a funny commercial. I’m really proud of it, I’m happy with it.

Baltin: Since this is an Uber Eats commercial, I must ask, what did it make you want to eat because the whole campaign is that Matthew McConaughey believes football is designed to make you want to eat. So, what is your football food?

Booker T: What’s my football food? Well, that would have to be a hot dog. They’re making funny comments about each one of the foods. I don’t know how that would go. Maybe a cold dog, I don’t know.

Baltin: It’s a fun commercial and it’s so great because obviously the song is such a part of history. It’s been recorded by so many people. But when you put it in this environment, not only do you get to hear it in a lighter way, but it introduces it to a whole new audience. For you, when you hear the song in this setting do you hear the song in a slightly different way?

Booker T: The thing is it makes people want to dance. It made people want to dance back then in 1962. It makes me want to dance when I play it. I sit down at the organ, but I kind of dance around while I’m sitting down. And hopefully, when people hear it, it will make people want to dance. And football players are always dancing. When football players do well, when they make a touchdown or when they make a catch, they run up to the camera and dance. It’s a great song to move your body to, you know.

Baltin: When you look at it in the context of the commercial, you realize there is such a correlation between the song and sports. Not every song can be a great sports anthem, but this one really works. How much fun is it to go back to football? I want to make sure I heard that correctly because that must have been the greatest high school band of all time. You said Maurice White was the drummer?

Booker T: He was the lead drummer right in the middle of the band. He would play a two-bar cadence. Everybody would wait for him to finish and then the whole drum role would copy what he did and then we’d step off. It was exciting, it actually was. He was my high school buddy and such a great drummer. So yeah, and not long after that was when I cut “Green,” by June of 62. The coach, the football room was right next to the band room, and the coach saw my shoulders, he saw my legs, and he wanted me to be a running back. And I always said no, because I thought if I got hurt or broke my leg, then I can’t play music (laughs). And I would always have to walk by the locker room to get to the band room. And he’d give me that look like I should be running the ball (laughs). But we’ve always loved football. We never miss a Sunday here. My wife’s dad was a football coach at Cal Poly, and he invented the West Coast offense. So, she’s a real football fan. This is a big deal in this house. We always watch.

Baltin: There have been so many great musicians that have been involved in Super Bowl commercials over the years. Are there any that stand out to you? Booker T: Well, I’m honored to have that position. It’s unbelievable. I don’t know how this has transpired,but I’m just very honored. I can’t think of one in particular, but this really sets me up. It makes me feel good. I’m fortunate.

Baltin: You did your memoir, which, for me as a writer, is always fascinating because it reveals things that you haven’t thought about in a long time. So, as you look at some of those moments, are there ones that really stand out for you?

Booker T: Yeah, it was getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I think that was ’92 or ’91. Everybody wanted to come and jam. It was a party. The introduction, the presentation ceremony turned out to be a party. So “Green Onions” was like 10 minutes long or something.

Baltin: Having played with so many people, as I said, who would be in your ultimate jam session? Who would be your dream quartet?

Booker T: Man, I was on my way to the dream quartet with Maurice White when he left town because his mother was in Chicago. He left Memphis. I took him to the train station, him and his girlfriend and he left Memphis and went to Chicago and never came back. That would have been, that’s what I wanted. I wanted him to be the drummer in Booker T and the MGs. He was the best. He played with everybody in Chicago and he did such a good job with Earth, Wind and Fire. My dad brought his drums home from the store in his car because it was kind of like an offer. That would have been my dream quartet there but Al Jackson was great. So that was a great drummer for the band. That’s how it goes.

Baltin: If “Green Onion” evolves into this big sports anthem, is there one team in any sport that you would love to see use it? Like for example, Neil Diamond is a friend. I’ve known Neil for many years and the Boston Red Sox were a huge part of “Sweet Caroline” becoming this massive anthem because it’s played at every Boston home game.

Booker T: Oh man, that’s hard I’m thinking about the [San Francisco] 49ers. I think that is right. “Soul Limbo” is being used by the cricket clubs in Europe, that’s their anthem that’s been going on for years. But “Green Onions” is more funky. So, it’s definitely a football song. I just want everybody to enjoy the music and have fun. I’m just telling people, to still get up get up and move that’s what it’s for. You’ll feel better once you dance to the song, just get up and move around that’s my message. Feel good and be happy if you can.