Sweet and Innocent (Osmonds song)

"Sweet and Innocent"
Single by Donny Osmond
from the album Osmonds and The Donny Osmond Album
B-side	"Flirtin'"
Released	February 27, 1971
Recorded	November 10, 1970
Genre	Bubblegum pop[1]
Length	3:02
Label	MGM
Songwriter(s)	Rick Hall and Billy Sherrill
Donny Osmond singles chronology
"Sweet and Innocent" (1971) "Go Away Little Girl" (1971)

"Sweet and Innocent" is a song written by Rick Hall and Billy Sherrill, first recorded by Roy Orbison in 1958. It was released as the B-side to the single, "Seems to Me".

The Osmonds recording

In 1970, pop singing group The Osmonds recorded a substantially reworked version of the song with Donny handling the lead vocals, and it was billed as his first solo single release. The lyrics were shifted from Orbison's original words being a compliment to a young woman, to Osmond's remake being repulsed by her behavior. Donny took the song to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on June 5, 1971, and number 32 for all of 1971.[2] It was certified Gold by the RIAA on August 30, 1971.

Charts

Chart (1971)	Peak position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[3]	3
US Billboard Hot 100[4]	7

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[5]	Gold	1,000,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Breithaupt, Don; Breithaupt, Jeff (October 15, 1996). "Post-Nuclear Families: Bubblegum". Precious and Few - Pop Music in the Early '70s. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 23. ISBN 031214704X.
2. "Top Pop 100 Singles" (PDF). Billboard Talent in Action. 1971-12-25. p. TA-36. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
3. "RPM 100 Singles - Volume 15, No. 17". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
4. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 634.
5. "American single certifications – Donny Osmond – Sweet & Innocent". Recording Industry Association of America.