| The Way You Do the Things You Do | |
| Cover: | The Way You Do the Things You Do by the Temptations Australian single side-A.png |
| Alt: | side-A label by Stateside Records |
| Caption: | Side A of the Australian single |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | The Temptations |
| Album: | Meet the Temptations & The Temptations Sing Smokey |
| B-Side: | Just Let Me Know |
| Released: | January 23, 1964 |
| Recorded: | Hitsville USA (Studio A) January 9, 1964 |
| Genre: | Soul |
| Length: | 2:42 |
| Label: | Gordy G 7028 |
| Producer: | Smokey Robinson |
| Prev Title: | Farewell My Love |
| Prev Year: | 1963 |
| Next Title: | I'll Be in Trouble |
| Next Year: | 1964 |
"The Way You Do the Things You Do" is a 1964 hit single by the Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers, the single was the Temptations' first charting single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking in the Top 20 at number eleven; it also went to number one on the Cash Box R&B chart.[1] The song has been an American Top 40 hit in four successive decades, from the 1960s to the 1990s. A version by Hall & Oates featuring Temptation members Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1986.[2] A cover version by British reggae band UB40 hit number six in the U.S. in 1990.
Falsetto Eddie Kendricks sings lead on the record, composed by Robinson and Rogers while on the road with the Miracles as part of the Motortown Revue tour. Its plethora of pick-up lines ("You got a smile so bright/you know you coulda been a candle/I'm holding you so tight/You know you coulda been a handle") began as a light-hearted joke between Robinson and Rogers to pass time on the long bus rides. Realizing they had something they could work with, the Miracles kept the lyrics in mind and prepared the song for the Temptations, who at this time had had only one single that had ever made it onto a Billboard chart (1962's "Dream Come True" at number 22 on the R&B singles chart) and six flopped singles. This version of the song actually appears on two of their mid 1960s albums: 1964's Meet The Temptations and 1965's The Temptations Sing Smokey.
The recording was done on January 9, 1964, a mere two weeks after founding Temptation Elbridge Bryant had been fired, and Jimmy Ruffin's younger brother David Ruffin had taken Bryant's place. While Ruffin would sing lead on stage he would remain a background singer on the singles for most of 1964, but after Smokey Robinson heard him sing lead during the Temptations' Motortown Revue performance, Ruffin was assigned to sing lead on what would become the Temptations' first number-one hit, "My Girl".
The Temptations learned about the success of "The Way You Do the Things You Do" after returning home to Detroit, Michigan, and hearing nonchalantly from a Motown executive that "oh, you guys got a hit." After reading the number 76 ("with a bullet") listing in Billboard magazine, Temptations members Otis Williams and David Ruffin immediately began crying with joy. During this period the group's baritone Paul Williams was still considered the main lead singer; but due to the success of this single, Kendricks would be given the lead on the next two following singles.
| Chart (1964) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[4] | 11 | |
| US Cash Box Top 100 [5] | 10 | |
| US Cash Box R&B Singles Chart | 1 | |
| Canada CHUM Chart Top 50 [6] | 43 |
| The Way You Do the Things You Do | |
| Cover: | The_Way_You_Do_the_Things_You_Do_-_Rita_Coolidge.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Rita Coolidge |
| Album: | Anytime...Anywhere |
| B-Side: | I Feel the Burden (Being Lifted Off My Shoulders) |
| Released: | June 1978 |
| Recorded: | 1977 |
| Genre: | Soft rock |
| Length: | 3:35 |
| Label: | A&M Records |
| Producer: | David Anderle |
| Prev Title: | We're All Alone |
| Prev Year: | 1977 |
| Next Title: | You |
| Next Year: | 1978 |
Rita Coolidge covered "The Way You Do the Things You Do," and it was released in 1978 as the third single from her most successful album, Anytime...Anywhere. In the U.S., the single reached number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 20 on the Record World Singles Chart and number 18 on the Cash Box Top 100. It also reached number 16 in Canada. It is ranked as the 151st biggest Canadian hit of 1978.[7]
| Chart (1978) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Canada RPM Top Singles [8] | 16 | |
| Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[9] | 13 | |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 20 | |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary[10] | 9 | |
| U.S. Cash Box Top 100 | 18 |
In 1985, a live version (part of a medley with "My Girl") was released by Hall & Oates featuring David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, reaching number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 12 on the Adult Contemporary chart, number 40 on the R&B chart,[12] and number 24 on the pop chart.[13] The single was nominated for a Grammy Award.
John Leland at Spin said, "This record is pretty wonderful and it's definitely better than most H & O or Temps fare, but it also bores me in ways it shouldn't. If there was any emoting going on in the performance, it didn't translate onto wax."[14]
| The Way You Do the Things You Do | |
| Cover: | The_way_you_do_the_things_you_do.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | UB40 |
| Album: | Labour of Love II |
| Released: | 1989 July 1990 France September 11, 1990 US |
| Recorded: | 1989 |
| Genre: | Reggae |
| Length: | 3:03 |
| Label: | Virgin Records |
| Producer: | UB40 |
| Prev Title: | Here I Am (Come and Take Me) |
| Prev Year: | 1989 |
| Next Title: | Groovin |
| Next Year: | 1991 |
"The Way You Do the Things You Do" was covered in 1989 by the band UB40. It was the sixth single from their 1989 album Labour of Love II. The song was released in 1989 in the majority of European countries (in July 1990 in France), and was featured in the Ridley Scott–Michael Douglas film Black Rain.
| Chart (1990–1992) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[15] | 78 | |
| Canada (RPM) | 42 | |
| Ireland (IRMA)[16] | 26 | |
| United Kingdom (The Official Charts Company)[17] | 49 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[18] | 6 | |
| US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 21 | |
| Chart (1992) | Peak position | |
| Australia (ARIA) | 63 |
