One Bad Apple

This article is about the song popularized by The Osmonds. For the rhetorical use emanating from the "one bad apple" proverb, see bad apples excuse.

"One Bad Apple"
Single by The Osmonds
from the album Osmonds
A-side	"One Bad Apple"
B-side	"He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother"
Released	December 1970
Recorded	1970
Genre	Pop, R&B, Bubblegum, Blue-eyed soul
Length	2:46
Label	MGM Records
Writer(s)	George Jackson
Certification	Gold
The Osmonds singles chronology
"One Bad Apple" (1970) "Sweet and Innocent" (as Donny Osmond) (1971)

"One Bad Apple" was a #1 single released by The Osmonds in December 1970. It hit the top of Billboard's Hot 100 Chart in February 1971 and stayed there for five weeks; it also reached #6 on the R&B chart.^[1]

The song was written by George Jackson who originally had the Jackson 5 in mind when he wrote it.^[2] He also wrote the single "Double Lovin'" for the Osmonds. Both "One Bad Apple" and the Donny Osmond-credited single "Sweet and Innocent" are on the 1971 album Osmonds.

In 1997, singer Aaron Carter covered the song on his debut album Aaron Carter.

"One Bad Apple" was also used as the theme to The Osmonds cartoon show on ABC-TV.

According to Donny Osmond, Michael Jackson later told him that the Jackson 5 almost recorded this song first, but chose to record "ABC" instead.

References

1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 445. 
2. ^ One Bad Apple by The Osmonds Songfacts

Preceded by "Knock Three Times" by Tony Orlando and Dawn	US Billboard Hot 100 number one single February 13, 1971 (five weeks)	Succeeded by "Me and Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin
Preceded by "If You Could Read My Mind" by Gordon Lightfoot	Canadian RPM 100 number-one single February 27 - March 6, 1971 (two weeks)	Succeeded by "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" by Creedence Clearwater Revival