Fellas, I want you to listen to me
'cause I know ya'll will know what I am talkin' bout here today...
Now dig...
Let me tell you about a girl I know
Every time I let my feelings show
I sing this same old song...
Ow! Listen to me people...

How come every time I try to put my best foot forward
All I wind up doing is putting it in my mouth
Somebody's got to tell me...

I keep trying to do the right thing,
But I keep doing it the wrong way...
Every time that I try to win her lovin'
I keep doing it the wrong way...

I send her flowers - she starts to sneeze
I didn't know that she had allergies
(oh, yeah, yeah, yeah)
I told her I apologize... And I'll make it up to you
Listen to me!

'Cause I was tryin' to do the right thing
But I keep doing it the wrong way...
Every time that I try to win her lovin'
I keep doing it the wrong way

A 4 course meal - she called it a snack
I even took her to my crib, and she called my place a shack!
(oh, yeah, yeah, yeah)
I tried to please the kind of girl...
Whose tastes are particular
Man, this girl's about to break my back!

I keep trying to do the right thing,
But I keep doing it the wrong way...
Every time that I try to win her lovin'
I keep doing it the wrong way

I keep on trying to do the right thing,
Yeah! Yeah!
But I keep...
But I keep...
But I keep... Doing it the wrong way...
Every time that I try to win her lovin'
I keep doing it the wrong way

Looky here now,
I'm trying to do the right thing...
I keep trying to do the right thing...
Don't you know that...
I'm trying to do the right thing...
Oooh!
Looky here...
Put your hands together...
Listen to me people...

The top was down on lover's lane
How was I supposed to know it was gonna rain?
So, I called her up to make amends...
And she agreed to see me once again...
But this time she brought her ugly friend!
Ha, ha... I guess that's how the story ends...
Yeah!

I keep trying to do the right thing,
But I keep doing it the wrong way...
Every time that I try to win her lovin'
I keep doing it the wrong way

I keep trying to do the right thing,
But I keep doing it wrong, yeah...
Every time that I try to win her lovin'
I keep doing it the wrong way...

Yeah!
Hit it!
Yeah!
(hey, hey, hey)
Come on...
I could do nothing right, seemed like...
Everything I wanna do came out wrong...
I know ya'll know what I'm talkin' about!
Hey! Yeah, yeah, yeah...
Try... Try... Try... Yeah
Got to do the right thing...
Don't ya know it...
Tryin' to do the right thing...
Don't ya know...
Trying' to do the right thing...
Trying' to do the right thing... Baby
Don't ya know...
Keep tryin' to put my best foot forward...
Instead I put it in my mouth...
When I try to want love, baby...
You, you, you want something
Can I try, try, try to do the right thing...
Don't ya know...
Tryin' to do the right thing...
Don't ya know, girl...
Tryin' to do the right thing...
For ya baby...
Tryin' to do the right thing...
For ya baby...
I keep coming off all
Wrong... Wrong... Wrong... Wrong... Wrong... Wrong... Wrong... Yeah
Keeps coming off wrong...

(written by Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis & ttd)