The Onion Song Chords

...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     C     C/B Am
The world is just a great big onion.

(Marvin):

             G             Em                   Am   D
And pain and fear, are the spices that make you cry.
            Gmaj7           G7           C     C/B Am
Oh, and the only way to get rid, of this great big onion;

(Valerie):

      Bm7   Em   Am              F        C
Is to plant love seeds, until it dies, uh huh.

Verse 1:

(Marvin):

    G               F         C      G
Hey world! We got a great big job to do.
F      C       G             F    C       G       G7
 Yeah, we need you and every-body pull us through.

Bridge 1:

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

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

Chorus 2:

    G        G7     C     C/B Am
The world is just a great big onion,

(Marvin):

    G                      Em                  Am
And I don't care; it's the face people like to wear.
                  D
(Valerie): Yes it is now.
            Gmaj7           G7           C     C/B Am
Oh, and the only way to get rid, of this great big onion;

(Valerie):
Bm7    Em     Am                      F         C
 Every single soul's, got to do their share, uh huh.

Verse 2:

(Marvin):

        G         F        C     G
So come on, let's knock on every door.
F           C           G
 Tell them; love is the answer;
F                C       G     G7
 Whether they're rich or poor, oh yeah.

Bridge 2:

             C                          Cdim
For we don't care, what you do, how you look,
               Em
Or your status claim, baby.
          A7
(Valerie): No no.

        G                     Em
Because brothers and sisters, from now on,
   F                    D         Eb
Is gonna be everybody's name, oh, oh.

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

Chorus 3:

    G#       G#7    C#    C#/C C#m
The world is just a great big  onion.

(Marvin):

             G#            Fm                   Bbm   Eb
And pain and fear, are the spices that make you cry.
            G#maj7          G#7          C#    C#/C Bbm
Oh, and the only way to get rid, of this great big  onion;

Coda:

(Valerie):

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

Outro:

    Ab       Ab7     C#    C#/C Ab
The world is just, 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

   Fm      Bbm     Cm      F#

 EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE  EADGBE
 133111  x13321  x35543  244322


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