T'ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)

Infobox Single
Name = It Ain't What You Do....


Artist = Fun Boy Three with Bananarama
from Album = Fun Boy Three "and" Greatest Hits Collection
B-side = "The Funrama Theme"
Released = February 1982
Format = 7" single, 12" single
Recorded = July 1981
Genre = Pop, New Wave
Length =
Label = Chrysalis Records
Writer = Sy Oliver, Trummy Young
Producer = Dave Jordan, Fun Boy Three
Chronology = Fun Boy Three singles
Last single = "The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum)" (1981)
This single = "It Ain't What You Do...." (1982)
Next single = "Really Saying Something" (1982)
Misc = Extra chronology 2
Artist = Bananarama singles
Type = singles
Last single = "Aie a Mwana" (1981)
This single = "It Ain't What You Do...." (1982)
Next single = "Really Saying Something" (1982)

"T'ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)" is a song written by jazz musicians Melvin "Sy" Oliver and James "Trummy" Young. It was first recorded in 1939 by both Jimmie Lunceford and Ella Fitzgerald [ [http://ellafitzgerald.altervista.org/discog_01.htm Ella Fitzgerald Discography - Discography - Part 1 ] ] .

Recording by Fun Boy Three with Bananarama

The jazz tune was transformed into a pop song with ska elements in 1982. With the title slightly altered to "It Ain't What You Do....", it was included on Fun Boy Three's debut self-titled album, but it was not available on a Bananarama album until 1988's "Greatest Hits Collection".

Terry Hall of Fun Boy Three owned a copy of Bananarama's previous single "Aie a Mwana" and after seeing an article about the trio in "The Face" he decided he wanted them to sing background vocals on this song, solely based on the fact that he liked their look. "It Ain't What You Do...." became a big hit in the UK, climbing to number four in the UK singles chart. The success of this single also prompted Bananarama to return the favor and have Fun Boy Three sing on their next single "Really Saying Something".

Charts

References