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The Onion Song

Marvin Gaye

Text File

...THE ONION SONG... by Marvin Gaye & Tammy Terrell
--------------------...............................

*from 'Easy' (1970)*

*N.B* (Although the song is credited to,
Tammy Terrell, the singer was so sick,
During the recording, due to a brain tumor,
That Valerie Simpson sang the lead instead).


*CAPO 1st FRET*

(Original Key: G#)


Chorus 1:

    G        G7
The world is just,
  C     C/B Am
A great big onion.
              G
(Marvin): And pain,
                 Em
And fear are the spices,
              Am   D
That make you cry.

            Gmaj7
Oh, and the only way,
       G7
To get rid,
        C     C/B Am
Of this great big onion.
                 Bm7
(Valerie): Is to plant,
Em    Am
 Love seeds,
         F        C
Until it dies, uh huh.

Verse 1:

              G
(Marvin): Hey world!
         F
We got a great big,
C       G
 Job to do.
F      C       G
 Yeah, we need you,
          F
And every-body,
C        G        G7
 Pull us through.

Bridge 1:

(G7)
 Don't you know we've,
       C
Got to clean up this place,
    Cdim
And reach for,
         Em
A higher goal, yeah.
                  A7
(Valerie): Yes we do now.

         G
We gotta be headstrong,
      Em
About rightin' the wrong,
           F
And make a mountain,
         D
Of happy souls, oh,
         D7
(Marvin): Oh...

Chorus 2:

    G        G7
The world is just,
  C     C/B Am
A great big onion.
              G
(Marvin): And I don't care,
         Em
It's the face,
               Am
People like to wear.
                  D
(Valerie): Yes it is now.

            Gmaj7
Oh, and the only way,
       G7
To get rid,
        C     C/B Am
Of this great big onion.
           Bm7   Em     Am
(Valerie): Every single soul's,
                F
Got to do their share,
C
 Uh huh.

Verse 2:

                  G
(Marvin): So come on,
      F
Let's knock,
   C     G
On every door.
F          C
 Tell them love,
       G
Is the answer,
F
 Whether they're,
C        G    G7
 Rich or poor, oh yeah.

Bridge 2:

             C
For we don't care,
What you do,
        Cdim
How you look, or,
            Em
Your status claim, baby.
          A7
(Valerie): No no.

        G
Because brothers,
And sisters,
Em 
 From now on,
   F
Is gonna be,
           D         Eb
Everyone's name, oh, oh.

*KEY CHANGE*
------------

    G#       G#7 
The world is just,
  C#    C#/C G#m
A great big  onion.
              G#
(Marvin): And pain,
                 Fm
And fear are the spices,
              Bbm
That make you cry.
          Eb
(Valerie): Yes it is.

            G#maj7
Oh, and the only way,
       G#7
To get rid,
        C#    C#/C G#m
Of this great big  onion;

Coda:

                 Cm
(Valerie): Is to plant,
Fm    Bbm
 Love seeds,
(Marvin): Now everybody,
       Cm    Fm   Bbm
Got to plant love seeds.
(Valerie): Come on and,
Cm     Fm   Bbm
 Plant love seeds,
                   F#    C#
(Marvin): Until it dies.

Outro:

    Ab       Ab7
The world is just,
  C#    C#/C Ab
A great big  onion.


CHORD DIAGRAMS:
---------------

   G       G7      C       C/B     Am      Em

 EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE
 320003  323000  x32010  x20010  x02210  022000

   D      Gmaj7    Bm7     F      Cdim     A7

 EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE
 xx0232  3x443x  x24232  133211  xx1212  x02223

   D7      Eb      G#      G#7     C#     C#/C

 EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE
 xx0212  6654xx  466544  464544  x46664  x3666x

   G#m     Fm      Bbm     Cm      F#

 EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE
 466444  133111  x13321  x35543  244322


Tabbed by Joel from cLuMsY, Bristol, England, 2007
(clumsyband@hotmail.com)

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The Onion Song

Marvin Gaye