The Onion Song
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, Marvin Gaye
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The world is just a great big onion And pain and fear are the spices that make you cry Oh, baby, and the only way to get rid of this great big onion Is to plant love seeds until it dies, uh-huh Hey world, we got a great big job to do Yeah, we need you And everybody who loves truth Don't you know we've got to clean up this place And reach for a higher goal, yeah, yes we do, now We gotta be headstrong about rightin' the wrong And make a lot more happy songs, oh, oh, baby The world is just a great big onion And I don't care, is the face people like to wear Yes it is now, oh, baby And the only way to get rid of this great big onion Every one single soul's got to do their share Tell about it, baby, whoo So come on, let's knock on every door, whoo Tell them love is the answer Whether they're rich or poor Oh, yeah, now, we don't care what you do How you look, or your status claim, baby No no, because brothers and sisters From now on, is gonna be everyone's name, oh-oh, whoo The world is just a great big onion And pain and fear are the spices that make you cry Yes it is, oh, baby And the only way to get rid of this great big onion Is to plant love seeds Now everybody, got to plant love seeds Come on and plant love seeds Until it dies The world is just a great big onion
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Written by: NICKOLAS ASHFORD, VALERIE SIMPSON
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
11 facts about this song
SONG RELEASE"The Onion Song" was released in the spring of 1969 achieving massive international success.
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MUSIC LABELIt was released under the Motown label, an American record label known for being a significant influence on the history of popular music.
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ARTISTSThe song is a duet between Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, two of the most popular and influential soul artists of the 1960s.
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SONGWRITERS"The Onion Song" was creatively put together by the successful songwriting duo, Ashford & Simpson. It was their first collaboration with Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.
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CHART PERFORMANCEDespite the song's popularity, "The Onion Song" only reached No. 50 on the US Billboard Hot 100, but it reached No.1 in the UK Singles Chart.
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TAMMI TERRELL'S ILLNESSAt the time "The Onion Song" was recorded, Tammi Terrell was battling a severe illness. She had been diagnosed with a brain tumor and was unable to perform.
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CONTROVERSYThere was controversy surrounding the song due to Terrell's illness. Some believe that Valerie Simpson (of Ashford & Simpson) may have provided vocals on the recorded version of the song due to Terrell's condition.
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THEMEThe song uses the metaphor of an onion to describe global suffering, encouraging listeners to work together to solve worldwide problems. Marvin Gaye is quoted as saying the song represented "people crying all over the world" similar to an onion making people cry.
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FIRST TIME FOR GAYE-WRITTEN SONGSThe album that "The Onion Song" appeared on, "That's the Way Love Is", was the first to include several songs co-written by Gaye.
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FINAL DUET"The Onion Song", sadly, was one of the last duets produced between Gaye and Terrell before her death in 1970.
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POPULARITY IN THE UKThe song's success was significantly greater in the UK, where it went on to become one of Marvin Gaye's biggest hits. His later solo efforts in the 1970s also had substantial success in the UK.
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"The Onion Song Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 31 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/22702423/Marvin+Gaye/The+Onion+Song>.
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