"The Onion Song"
Single by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
from the album Easy[1]
B-side"California Soul"
ReleasedOctober 1969 (U.K.); March 20, 1970 (U.S.)
Recorded1969, Detroit
Genre
LabelTamla
Songwriter(s)Ashford & Simpson
Producer(s)Ashford & Simpson
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell singles chronology
"What You Gave Me"
(1969)		 "The Onion Song"
(1969)		 "California Soul"
(1970)

"The Onion Song" was a hit for soul singers Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell in 1969.[2] It reached the top ten overseas, where it became Gaye & Terrell's biggest hit in the United Kingdom, entering the singles chart on 15 November 1969 and peaking at No.9 on 9 December.[2] "The Onion Song" was a more modest hit in the U.S. where it peaked at No. 18 on the soul singles chart and No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100[3]

Background

The song's lyrics reflected social consciousness. Tammi Terrell died, aged 24, just prior to the song's release as a single in the U.S., and it became her and Gaye's last official single together.

Record World called the song "a groovy, bouncy tune."[4] Cash Box said it has a "brotherhood message with the rhythmic familiarity of past Marvin-Tammi hits."[5]

Chart performance

Chart (1970) Peak
position
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[6] 9
US Billboard Hot 100 50
US Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles 18

Credits

References

  1. ↑ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "BBC Radio 2 - Sounds of the 60s with Tony Blackburn - Marvin Gaye". BBC.
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 225.
  4. ↑ "Single Reviews" (PDF). Record World. April 11, 1970. p. 14. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  5. ↑ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. April 11, 1970. p. 20. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  6. ↑ "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved September 9, 2022.


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