The band is one of the most culturally diverse dub Ska bands with musicians of English, Scottish, Irish, Yemeni and Jamaican parentage. The band is named from the paper form issued by the UK government's Department of Health and Social Security at the time of the band's formation for claiming unemployment benefit (UB40 = Unemployment Benefit, Form 40).
UB40 were influenced by the many Blues Parties they attended as teenagers in the multiracial Balsall Heath area of Birmingham, their love of ska and reggae inspired such original tracks as King, Madam Medusa, Food for Thought, Signing Off and One in Ten.
Their early music style was unique, with a heavy influence of analogue synthesizers, psychedelic rock guitar, saxophone and dub producer techniques which were later perfected by the late Pablo Falconer.
Ali and Robin Campbell have a musical heritage, being sons of Ian Campbell, a folk musician.
The band purchased its first instruments with compensation money Ali Campbell received after a bar fight. They have had a number of hits, most commercially and to amusement of the band, "Red Red Wine", a cover version of a Neil Diamond song (in an arrangement similar to that of Tony Tribe's version). Their most successful single release is the cover of the Elvis Presley ballad Can't Help Falling In Love which was intended to be the main title to the 1992 Sharon Stone movie Sliver and was a Number One hit across Europe and in the U.S.
Many of UB40's recordings were inspired by 1960s ska and early lovers rock songs that would have otherwise been forgotten in the public eye. Their new injection of life into so many old Jamaican hits has resulted in many musicians' and producers' renewed popularity and income.
UB40's early music often tackled social issues such as racism and unemployment.
Other artists that UB40 have collaborated with include: Pato Banton, Madness, Bitty McLean, Chrissie Hynde, Robert Palmer, Hunterz, Japanese artist Mikidozan, French artist Nuttea, Lady Saw and Afrika Bambaataa.
Way You Do The Things You Do
UB40 Lyrics
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You know you could've been a candle
I'm holding you so tight
You know you could've been a handle
The way you swept me off my feet
You know you could've been a broom
And baby you smell so sweet
Well you could've been anything that you wanted to
I can tell
The way you do the things you do
I like 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 you could have been an hour
The way you stole my heart
You know you could have 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
I can tell
The way you do the things you do
I like 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
I can tell
The way you do the things you do
I like 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 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
I can tell
The way you do the things you do
I like the way you do the things you do
The way you do the things you do
I like the way you do the things you do
The way you do the things you do
I like the way you do the things you do
You made my life so sweet
I like the way you do the things you do
You made my life so sweet
I like the way you do the things you do
You made my life so sweet
The way you do the things you do
You made my life so sweet
The way you do the things you do
UB40's "Way You Do The Things You Do" is a romantic love song that explores the various ways in which the persona is enraptured by their lover. The song opens by complimenting the lover's smile, suggesting that it is so bright that they could have been a candle. The persona holds their lover tightly, and the phrasing suggests that they could have been something to hold onto - a handle. The lover is praised further for sweeping the persona off their feet, with the suggestion that they could have been a broom. In addition, the lover's scent is compared to that of perfume, emphasizing how good they smell.
The second verse reinforces the notion that the lover could have been anything they wanted to be by comparison to various objects: a flower, an hour, a crook, and a schoolbook. The persona suggests that the things their lover could have been are limitless. The chorus reiterates how much the persona loves the way their lover does the things they do, and that they could have been anything they wanted to be. The bridge notes how the lover has enriched the persona's life, in a way that is comparable to money or honey.
The central theme of the song is love, which is communicated through romantic language and metaphors. The use of metaphorical language throughout the song is intended to emphasize the beauty and uniqueness of the persona's lover. Every aspect of the lover's personality, from their physical appearance to their intelligence, is praised. The use of repetition in the chorus ("the way you do the things you do") reinforces how much the persona adores their lover. Overall, UB40's "Way You Do The Things You Do" is a beautiful love song that praises a lover's every quality and helps the listener understand the depth of the persona's feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
You got a smile so bright
You know you could've been a candle
Your smile is so radiant that it can light up a room like a candle
I'm holding you so tight
You know you could've been a handle
I am holding onto you so tightly, almost as if you were a handle
The way you swept me off my feet
You know you could've been a broom
You have completely won me over and picked me up, just like a broom would do
And baby you smell so sweet
You know you could've been some perfume
Your scent is so delightful that it could have been bottled up and sold as perfume
As pretty as you are
You know you could've been a flower
You are so beautiful that you could have been a flower in a garden
If good looks were minutes
You know you could have been an hour
Your good looks are so stunning that they could add up to an entire hour
The way you stole my heart
You know you could've been a crook
You have taken over my heart completely, almost like a criminal would steal something
And baby you're so smart
You know you could have been a school book
Your intelligence is so impressive that you could have been the embodiment of a school book
You make my life so rich
You know you could've been some money
You enhance my life in such a way that it feels like you are providing me with financial wealth
And baby you're so sweet
You know you could have been some honey
You have a sweetness to your personality that could rival the taste of honey
You made my life so sweet
The way you do the things you do
You have brought so much joy and sweetness into my life by the way you live and act
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Robert Rogers, William Robinson Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pipelomano0407
Lyrics
You got a smile so bright
You know you could've been a candle
I'm holding you so tight
You know you could've been a handle
The way you swept me off my feet
You know you could've been a broom
And baby you smell so sweet
You know you could've been some perfume
Well you could've been anything that you wanted to
I can tell
The way you do the things you do
I like 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 you could have been an hour
The way you stole my heart
You know you could have 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
I can tell
The way you do the things you do
I like 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
I can tell
The way you do the things you do
I like 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 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
I can tell
The way you do the things you do
I like the way you do the things you do
The way you do the things you do
I like the way you do the things you do
The way you do the things you do
I like the way you do the things you do
You made my life so sweet
I like the way you do the things you do
You made my life so sweet
I like the way you do the things you do
You made my life so sweet
The way you do the things you do
You made my life so sweet
The way you do the things you do
@user-iw6ly9bx9b
2024 anyone?? ..just type👍..
@Jammin4C
Here!
@Bdchi3
🙌
@yoda6564
Yes sir
@carlosblake4441
Right now 🎉
@LindaSiem-eu2rt
can't be the only one listening to this in 2023 😍
@thelmaphiri1468
Not at o❤
@willkraber8364
Nope! 😂👍
@bogdanrusu916
Nop. 😊
@luyimabrian2838
Will remind u 2024