Otis Williams of The Temptations recalled in February 2009: "The first time we heard the song, we loved it. The melody swung, and the lyrics had lots of charm. They were silly in a way, talking about a girl you loved as a candle, a handle, a schoolbook, a cool crook, a broom, a perfume, but, typical Smokey, he made it work. It got a good response whenever we did it live, so our hopes were up. We knew from past experience that even the best tracks don't always click."
The Way You Do the Things You Do
The Temptations Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know you could have been a candle
I'm holding you so tight
You know you could have been a handle
The way you swept me off my feet
You know you could've been a broom
The way you smell so sweet
You know you could've been some perfume
Well you could've been anything that you wanted to
And I can tell
The way you do the things you do
The way you do the thing you do, ah baby
The way you do the things you do
As pretty as you are
You know you could've been a flower
If good looks were minutes
You know that you could be an hour
The way you stole my heart
You know you could have been a crook
And baby your so smart
You know you could have been a school book
Well you could've been anything that you wanted to
And I can tell
The way you do the things you do
The way you do the thing you do, ah baby
The way you do the things you do)
You make my life so rich
You know you could've been some money
And baby you're so sweet
You know you could have been some honey
Well you could've been anything that you
Wanted to and I can tell
The way you do the things you do
The way you do the things you do
You really swept me off my feet
The way you do the things you do
You made my life complete
The way you do the things you do
You made my life so bright
The way you do the things you do
You make me feel alright
The way you do the things you do
You make me feel alright
The way you do the things you do
The Temptations classic hit "The Way You Do The Things You Do" emphasizes how the love of the lead vocalist's life is unique and greatly different from any other person. The lyrical content uses metaphors to describe the adoration, admiration, and love held for the individual. The first stanza conveys that the person's smile is so bright it could be a candle while the singer holds them tight like a handle. In the second stanza, the lyrics touch on the person's beauty and intelligence but still emphasizes their unique qualities with phrases like "if good looks were minutes, you could be an hour." The final stanza focuses on their impact on the singer's life as they make it rich and sweet like money or honey. The song emphasizes how the person's personality and way of doing things are so different that they could only be themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
You got a smile so bright
Your smile is radiant
You know you could have been a candle
Your brightness is comparable to that of a candle
I'm holding you so tight
I am holding you closely
You know you could have been a handle
Your shape and size could have been ideal for holding onto
The way you swept me off my feet
You completely enamored me
You know you could've been a broom
You have qualities that are comparable to a broom - they both have the ability to sweep things off their feet, in different ways
The way you smell so sweet
Your scent is pleasant and alluring
You know you could've been some perfume
You have qualities that are comparable to perfume - they both have an attractive scent
As pretty as you are
Your physical appearance is stunning
You know you could've been a flower
Your beauty is comparable to that of a flower
If good looks were minutes
If one's physical appearance was equivalent to time
You know that you could be an hour
Then you would be an hour, as your beauty is particularly noteworthy
The way you stole my heart
You won my affection
You know you could have been a crook
You could have committed an act of theft with ease, as you have the ability to influence others
And baby your so smart
You are particularly intelligent
You know you could have been a school book
You could have contained a great deal of useful knowledge
You make my life so rich
Your presence in my life has made it fulfilling
You know you could've been some money
Your value is comparable to that of money
And baby you're so sweet
You have a kind and caring personality
You know you could have been some honey
You have qualities that are comparable to honey - they both have a sweet taste
You really swept me off my feet
You completely mesmerized me
You made my life complete
Your presence has made my life whole and satisfying
You make me feel alright
You have a positive impact on my well-being
You make me feel alright
You have a positive impact on my emotional state
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Robert Rogers, William Robinson Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@l.angellove6769
OH MY GOODNESS THIS SONG JUST
TOOK ME BACK TO ANNA, BESSIE
AND JOYCE RENT PARTIES AND I
WAS JUST 5 YRS.OLD, MY BROTHER AND SISTER WAS SUPPOSED TO BE
SLEEP, BUT IT WAS THE MUSIC
THAT WAS SO ENTERTAINING THAT
US AWAKE, WITH THE TEMPTATIONS
THE SUPREMES THE 4 TOPS &
THE MIXTURE OF MARVIN GAYE,
SMOKEY ROBINSON AND
THE MIRACLES CURTIS MAYFIELD
AND THE IMPRESSIONS
ALONG W/SO MANY OTHERS.
YES THOSE WERE THE GOOD OLD
DAYS WHEN LIFE WAS SO MUCH FUN
@emmettk
"You got a smile so bright, you know you coulda been a candle,
I'm holdin' you so tight, you know you coulda been a handle.
The way you swept me off my feet, you know you coulda been a broom,
The way you smell so sweet, you know you coulda been some perfume.
Well. you coulda been anything that you wanted to, and I can tell.. The way you do the things you do.
As pretty as you are, you know you coulda been a flower,
If good looks was a minute, you know that you could be an hour.
The way you stole my heart, you know you coulda been a cool crook,
And baby, you're so smart, you know you coulda been a schoolbook.
Well, you coulda been anything that you wanted to, and I can tell... The way you do the things you do.
You made my life so rich, you know you coulda been some money,
And baby you're so sweet, you know you coulda been some honey.
Well, you coulda been anthing that you wanted to, and I can tell... The way you do the things you do.
You really swept me off my feet,
You made my life complete.
You made my lights all bright,
You make me feel alright."
by Smokey Robinson (1964)
@sandramendoza4488
You got a smile so bright
You know you could have been a candle
I'm holding you so tight
You know you could have been a handle
The way you swept me off my feet
You know you could've been a broom
The way you smell so sweet
You know you could've been some perfume
Well, you could've been anything that you wanted to
And I can tell
The way you do the things you do
(The way you do the things you do) oh, babe
(The way you do the things you do)
As pretty as you are
You know you could've been a flower
If good looks was minutes
You know you could've been an hour
The way you stole my heart
You know you could've been a crook
And baby you're so smart
You know you could have been a school book
Well, you could've been anything that you wanted to
And I can tell
The way you do the things you do
(The way you do the things you do) oh, babe
(The way you do the things you do) yeah
You may make my life so rich
You know you could've been some money
And baby you're so sweet
You know you could have been some honey
Well, you could've been anything that you wanted to
And I can tell
The way you do the things you do
(The way you do the things you do)
You really swept me off my feet
(The way you do the things you do)
You make my life complete
(The way you do the things you do)
You make my life so bright
(The way you do the things you do)
You make me feel alright
(The way you do the things you do)
You make me feel alright
(The way you do the things you do)
I feel alright
(The way you do the things you do)
Come on, my babe
(The way you do the things you do)
@d.tlerraayers278
THE ORIGINAL TEMPTATIONS AT
THE GREATNESS AND TO SEE OTIS WILLIAMS
WITH THE LONGEVITY REBIRTH OF
"THE NEW TEMPTATIONS"
IS REALLY TRULY AMAZING AND YOU
CAN'T HELP BUT TO LOVE THEM JUST AS WELL
@FL6K0
How is every song they make so perfect?? Seriously this is blowing my mind. This is my favorite music group of all time.
@119ThisAintThat
“Well..you could’ve been anything that you wanted to”..
💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽
@ianeagleashantitv6841
…and I can tell….😄
@119ThisAintThat
@Ian Eagle Ashanti TV 😂
@JAZZMASTER7764
The Way You Do The Things You Do. 🎼🎼🎼
@slimbell5195
Eddie was and always be my favorite temptation..man he had a beautiful voice...
@Strongguy94
The fact you can hear Paul's voice in "Telllll" at the end of it before Eddie says The way you do the things you do, it sounds so good.
@Thefactsteam
That’s otis as well on the 2nd tenor.. incredible
@ministirith822
That's what made the sound great!!
@kathysheller9561
Eww eww!!!