The Way You Do The Things You Do – English Lyrics

• By: The Temptations
• Album: Meet The Temptations

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the playful charm and soulful sound of The Temptations' breakthrough hit, "The Way You Do The Things You Do." This classic Motown track uses creative metaphors and infectious melodies to express deep admiration, offering a fun and engaging way to learn English through its vivid and imaginative lyrics.

[English]

You've 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 have been a broom

The way you smell so sweet

You know you could have been some perfume

Well, you could have 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, baby

(The way you do the things you do)

As pretty as you are (hoo-hoo)

You know you could have been a flower

If your good looks were some minutes (hoo-hoo)

You know that you could be an hour

The way you stole my heart (hoo-hoo)

You know you could have been a cool book

And baby, you're so smart (hoo-hoo)

You know you could have been a school book

Well, you could have 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, baby

(The way you do the things you do)

...

You made my heart so rich (hoo-hoo)

You know you could have been some money

And baby, you're so sweet (hoo-hoo)

You know you could have been some honey

Well, you could have 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)

You make me feel alright (the way you do the things you do)

Come on, now baby (the way you do the things you do)

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
smile /smaɪl/ A1	noun - a facial expression indicating pleasure or amusement verb - to have or put on a smile
bright /braɪt/ B1	adjective - giving out or reflecting a lot of light; shining
candle /ˈkændl/ A2	noun - a stick of wax with a wick in the middle, which produces light when it burns
tight /taɪt/ A2	adjective - held or fastened firmly or closely
handle /ˈhændl/ A2	noun - a part of something that is designed to be held by your hand
sweet /swiːt/ A1	adjective - having a pleasant taste like that of sugar
perfume /ˈpɜːrfjuːm/ B1	noun - a fragrant liquid typically made from essential oils extracted from flowers and spices
pretty /ˈprɪti/ A2	adjective - attractive in a delicate way without being truly beautiful
flower /ˈflaʊər/ A1	noun - the seed-bearing part of a plant, consisting of reproductive organs surrounded by brightly colored petals
steal /stiːl/ B1	verb - to take (another person's property) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - a hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system by rhythmic contraction and dilation
cool /kuːl/ A2	adjective - fashionable or attractive
smart /smɑːrt/ A2	adjective - intelligent
rich /rɪtʃ/ B1	adjective - having a great deal of money or assets
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - a current medium of exchange in the form of coins and banknotes
honey /ˈhʌni/ A2	noun - a sweet, viscous fluid produced by bees from the nectar of flowers
complete /kəmˈpliːt/ B1	adjective - having all the necessary or appropriate parts.

Key Grammar Structures

• You've got a smile so bright

  ➔ Present Perfect Simple (contracted)

  ➔ "You've got" is a contraction of "You have got". While "have got" and "have" are often interchangeable, "have got" emphasizes possession or a state. "So bright" is an adverb modifying the adjective "bright", expressing degree.

• You know you could have been a candle

  ➔ Modal Verb + Perfect Infinitive (could have been)

  ➔ "Could have been" expresses a possibility in the past that did not happen. It implies that the person had the potential to be a candle, but is not one now.

• I'm holding you so tight

  ➔ Present Continuous Tense

  ➔ "I'm holding" describes an action that is happening at the moment of speaking. "So tight" is an adverbial phrase modifying the verb "holding", showing the degree of tightness.

• The way you swept me off my feet

  ➔ Simple Past Tense

  ➔ "Swept" is the past tense of "sweep." The phrase "swept me off my feet" is an idiom meaning to make someone fall in love quickly and intensely. The entire phrase acts as a noun phrase in the larger sentence.

• As pretty as you are

  ➔ As...as Comparison

  ➔ This construction compares the degree of the adjective "pretty". It indicates that the person is very pretty and sets up a comparison to something else.

• If your good looks were some minutes

  ➔ Second Conditional (Hypothetical)

  ➔ This is the "if + simple past, would + infinitive" structure. It describes a hypothetical situation that is unlikely or contrary to fact. The speaker imagines a world where the person's good looks could be measured in minutes.

• You know that you could be an hour

  ➔ Modal Verb + Base Form

  ➔ "Could be" indicates a possibility or potential. In this context, it suggests the person's good looks are so powerful that they could fill an entire hour (as opposed to mere minutes).