Temptations - The Way You Do the Things You Do

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 by this time had only one single that had ever made it onto a Billboard chart (1962’s “Dream Come True“ made it to #22 on the R&B singles chart) and six flopped singles. The recording was done on January 8, 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 77 (“with a bullet“) listing in Billboard magazine, Temptations members Otis Williams and David Ruffin immediately began crying with joy.