The Way You Do The Things You Do by UB40
The Way You Do The Things You Do by UB40 in 4/4 and is in the key of Ab major. It is built on 3 chords — Ab, Db, Eb. Released in 1990.
✓ Key sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected. See how we verify →
What to watch for
At least one shape here is a full barre — one finger pressing all six strings, no open strings to lean on. Fret it unplugged first; if a string buzzes, it's the barre, not the chord.
Learn the theory
Play it on a live fretboard
Every shape, every voicing, and the scale that fits over them — on a board you can hear. Then just talk to it: Melody Monkey's personal music teacher controls the fretboard, so ask for a chord, a scale, a progression, or why any of it works, and watch it land under your fingers. Free to start.
Open the free app →Keep playing
More by UB40 See all →
More Reggae songs See all →
More songs from 1990 See all →
More songs with the I–IV–V progression See all →
Frequently asked questions
What key is The Way You Do The Things You Do in?
The Way You Do The Things You Do is in Ab major, sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected.
What chords does The Way You Do The Things You Do use?
The Way You Do The Things You Do is built on 3 chords: Ab, Db, Eb.
Does The Way You Do The Things You Do need barre chords?
Yes — at least one shape is a full barre (one finger across all six strings). Everything else on the page is a standard open shape.