The Way You Do the Things You Do
"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.
| "The Way You Do the Things You Do" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Side A of the Australian single | ||||
| Single by The Temptations | ||||
| from the 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 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Smokey Robinson Robert Rogers | |||
| Producer(s) | Smokey Robinson | |||
| The Temptations singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Temptations version edit
Background edit
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.
Personnel edit
- Lead vocals by Eddie Kendricks
- Background vocals by Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, David Ruffin, and Otis Williams
- Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers[3]
- Bass: James Jamerson
- Drums: Richard "Pistol" Allen
- Guitar: Eddie Willis
- Piano: Earl Van Dyke
- Tenor saxophone solo: Henry Cosby
Chart history edit
| 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 |
Rita Coolidge version edit
| "The Way You Do the Things You Do" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Rita Coolidge | ||||
| from the 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 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Smokey Robinson Robert Rogers | |||
| Producer(s) | David Anderle | |||
| Rita Coolidge singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
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 performance edit
Weekly charts edit
| 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 |
Year-end charts edit
| Chart (1978) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canada [11] | 151 |
Hall & Oates version edit
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.[2]
Reception edit
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]
UB40 version edit
| "The Way You Do the Things You Do" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by UB40 | ||||
| from the album Labour of Love II | ||||
| Released | 1989 July 1990 France September 11, 1990 US | |||
| Recorded | 1989 | |||
| Genre | Reggae | |||
| Length | 3:03 | |||
| Label | Virgin Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Smokey Robinson Robert Rogers | |||
| Producer(s) | UB40 | |||
| UB40 singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"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.
Track listings edit
- 7"-Single
- "The Way You Do the Things You Do" (3:03)
- "Splugen" (4:41)
- CD-Single
- "The Way You Do the Things You Do" (3:03)
- "Splugen" (4:41)
- CD-Maxi
- "The Way You Do the Things You Do" (Jazzy Club Mix) (6:11)
- "The Way You Do the Things You Do" (Paradise Mix) (4:07)
- "The Way You Do the Things You Do" (3:00)
- "Splugen" (4:42)
Charts edit
| Chart (1990–1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[15] | 78 |
| Canada (RPM) | 42 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] | 15 |
| France (SNEP)[17] | 11 |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[18] | 53 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[19] | 26 |
| United Kingdom (The Official Charts Company)[20] | 49 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[21] | 6 |
| US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[21] | 21 |
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
| Australia (ARIA)[15] | 63 |
| Year-end chart (1991–1992) | Rank |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[22] | 71 |
Certifications edit
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| France (SNEP)[23] | Silver | 200,000* |
| * Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
References edit
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 571.
- ^ a b "Hall and Oates". Recording Academy Grammy Awards.
- ^ Liner notes. The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 4: 1964, Hip-O Select – B0005946-02, USA, 24 Feb 2006
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2007). Top Pop Singles: 1955-2006. Record Research. p. 836.
- ^ . Archived from the original on March 13, 2017. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
- ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - March 6, 1964".
- ^ . Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on October 1, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
- ^ . Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. July 17, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 58.
- ^ . Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on August 17, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
- ^ "Daryl Hall & John Oates Chart History". Billboard.
- ^ "The way you do the things you do". Gghunt.utasites.cloud. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
- ^ John Leland (December 1985). "Singles". Spin. No. 8. p. 32.
- ^ a b Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 288.
- ^ "UB40 – The Way You Do the Things You Do" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "UB40 – The Way You Do the Things You Do" (in French). Les classement single.
- ^ "UB40 – The Way You Do the Things You Do" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
- ^ Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie July 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
- ^ UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
- ^ a b Billboard allmusic.com (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
- ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1991". Retrieved September 15, 2009.
- ^ "French single certifications – UB 40 – The Way You Do the Things You Do" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
External links edit
- List of cover versions of "The Way You Do the Things You Do" at SecondHandSongs.com