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"The Way You Do the Things You Do" | ||||
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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 | ||||
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"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 |
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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" | ||||
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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 | ||||
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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 |
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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 |
Chart (1978) | Position |
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Canada [11] | 151 |
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]
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" | ||||
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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 | ||||
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"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 |
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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 |
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US Billboard Hot 100 [22] | 71 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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France (SNEP) [23] | Silver | 200,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s to mid 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top 10 hit single "Cloud Nine" in October 1968, pioneered psychedelic soul, and was significant in the evolution of R&B and soul music. The band members are known for their choreography, distinct harmonies, and dress style. Having sold tens of millions of albums, the Temptations are among the most successful groups in popular music.
Edward James Kendrick, better known as Eddie Kendricks, was an American tenor singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group the Temptations, and was one of their lead singers from 1960 until 1971. He was the lead voice on such famous songs as "The Way You Do the Things You Do", "Get Ready", and "Just My Imagination ". As a solo artist, Kendricks recorded several hits of his own during the 1970s, including the number-one single "Keep On Truckin'".
David Ruffin was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations (1964–1968) during the group's "Classic Five" period as it was later known. Ruffin was the lead voice on such famous songs as "My Girl" and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg."
"My Girl" is a soul music song recorded by the Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) record label. Written and produced by the Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Ronald White, it became the Temptations' first U.S. number 1 single, and is currently their signature song. Robinson's inspiration for writing "My Girl" was his wife, Miracles member Claudette Rogers Robinson. The song was included on the Temptations 1965 album The Temptations Sing Smokey. In 2017, the song was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant".
"Get Ready" is a Motown song written by Smokey Robinson, which resulted in two hit records for the label: a U.S. No. 29 version by The Temptations in 1966, and a U.S. No. 4 version by Rare Earth in 1970. It is significant for being the last song Robinson wrote and produced for the Temptations, due to a deal Berry Gordy made with Norman Whitfield, that if "Get Ready" did not meet with the expected degree of success, then Whitfield's song, "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", would get the next release, which resulted in Whitfield more or less replacing Robinson as the group's producer.
"Ain't Too Proud to Beg" is a 1966 song and hit single by The Temptations for Motown Records' Gordy label, produced by Norman Whitfield and written by Whitfield and Edward Holland Jr. The song peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Pop Chart, and was a number-one hit on the Billboard R&B charts for eight non-consecutive weeks. The song's success, in the wake of the relative underperformance of the previous Temptations' single, "Get Ready", resulted in Norman Whitfield replacing Smokey Robinson, producer of "Get Ready", as The Temptations' main producer. In 2004 it finished number 94 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs poll thanks to its inclusion in The Big Chill soundtrack.
"I Can't Get Next to You" is a 1969 No. 1 single recorded by the Temptations and written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for the Gordy (Motown) label. The song was a No. 1 single on the Billboard Top Pop Singles chart for two weeks in 1969, from October 18 to October 25, replacing "Sugar, Sugar" by the Archies and replaced by "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley. The single was also a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Top R&B Singles for five weeks, from October 4 to November 1, replacing "Oh, What a Night" by the Dells, and replaced by another Motown song, "Baby I'm For Real" by the Originals.
"Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" is a song by American soul group the Temptations, written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. Released on the Gordy (Motown) label, and produced by Norman Whitfield, it features on the group's 1971 album, Sky's the Limit. When released as a single, "Just My Imagination" became the third Temptations song to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. The single held the number one position on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart for two weeks in 1971, from March 28 to April 10. "Just My Imagination" also held the number one spot on the Billboard R&B Singles chart for three weeks, from February 27 to March 20 of that year.
"Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" is a Motown song written by Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, and Janie Bradford. The song was first recorded by The Temptations as a track on their 1966 album Gettin' Ready. Eddie Kendricks sings lead on the recording, which was produced by Whitfield. Jimmy Ruffin also recorded a version with The Temptations providing background vocals in 1966. It remained unreleased until 1997.
Meet the Temptations is the debut studio album by the Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label released in 1964. It includes most of the group's early singles, excluding only the first, "Oh Mother of Mine", and its b-side, "Romance Without Finance" ; as well as the single "Mind Over Matter", in which the group is credited as The Pirates. The album consists entirely of previously released singles, including the group's first hit single, "The Way You Do the Things You Do".
Greatest Hits is a 1966 greatest hits album for The Temptations, released by the Gordy (Motown) label. It peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200 album chart and remained on the chart for 120 weeks. Included are popular Temptations hits such as "The Way You Do the Things You Do", "Get Ready", "Since I Lost My Baby", "My Baby", "Don't Look Back", and their signature #1 hit, "My Girl". One non-album single, "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep", is also included; it was a #3 hit in the summer and fall of 1966.
The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul is the fifth studio album by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label released in 1967. Featuring four hit singles, With a Lot o' Soul is the most successful Temptations album from their "classic 5" era, during which David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams constituted the Temptations' lineup.
Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations is a collaborative album combining Motown's two best selling groups, Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations. Issued by Motown in late 1968 to coincide with the broadcast of the Supremes/Temptations TCB television special, the album was a success, reaching #2 on the Billboard 200. Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations spent four weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart.
The Temptin' Temptations is the third studio album by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label released in 1965. The album includes several of the group's hits from 1965, and also includes a handful of singles that were not included on the Temptations' first 1965 album, The Temptations Sing Smokey. Among these are the 1964 singles "Girl " and "I'll Be in Trouble"; and the 1965 singles "Since I Lost My Baby", and "My Baby". Seven of the album's 12 tracks had previously been released as singles and their B-sides, though "My Baby" preceded the album only by a month.
The Temptations Sing Smokey is the second studio album by the Temptations for the Motown label, released on the Gordy Records subsidiary in 1965. As its name implies, it is composed entirely of songs written and produced by Smokey Robinson, and several other members of the Miracles as well.
"I'll Be in Trouble" is a 1964 hit single by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label and written by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson.
"Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" is a 1964 hit single by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. It was the group's first A-side release to be produced by Norman Whitfield, who co-wrote the song with Edward Holland, Jr. of the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team. With Eddie Kendricks singing lead for the third single in a row, it peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop charts in the top 30 at number 26.
"It's Growing" is a 1965 hit single by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore and produced by Robinson, the song was a top 20 pop single on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, on which it peaked at number 18. On Billboard's R&B singles chart, "It's Growing" peaked at number 3.
"I'll Try Something New" is a song written by Smokey Robinson and originally released in 1962 by The Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla subsidiary label. Their version was a Billboard Top 40 hit, peaking at #39, and just missed the Top 10 of its R&B chart, peaking at #11. The song was released later as a joint single by Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations, also becoming a charting version on the Billboard 100 pop singles chart, peaking for two weeks in April 1969 at number 25.
This article is a discography for the work of former Temptations singer David Ruffin as a solo artist and in other group acts outside of The Temptations. It also includes a listing of his lead vocal recordings with The Temptations.