Marvin Gaye – The Onion Song (Ukulele)

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...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 tumour, That Valerie Simpson sang the lead instead). (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         D#
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                   A#m  D#
And pain and fear, are the spices that make you cry.

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

Coda: (Valerie):

      Cm    Fm   A#m
Is to plant love seeds,

                                Cm    Fm   A#m
(Marvin): Now everybody, got to plant love seeds.

                       Cm    Fm   A#m
(Valerie): Come on and plant love seeds,

                   F#   C#
(Marvin): Until it dies.

Outro:

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

CHORD DIAGRAMS: --------------- G G7 C C/B Am Em D Gmaj7 EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE 320003 323000 x32010 x20010 x02210 022000 xx0232 3x443x Bm7 F Cdim A7 D7 D# G# G#7 EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE x24232 133211 xx1212 x02223 xx0212 x68886 466544 464544 C# C#/C Fm A#m Cm F# EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE x46664 x3666x 133111 x13321 x35543 244322 Tabbed by Joel from cLuMsY, Bristol, England, 2007 ([email protected])