Move On Up
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Move On Up
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Curtis Mayfield
| album = Curtis
| B-side = * "Brother of Mine"
- "Give It Up"
| released = June 25, 1971
| recorded =
| studio = RCA Studios, Chicago
| venue =
| genre = * Progressive soul{{cite book|editor1-last=Bogdanov|editor1-first=Vladimir|editor2-last=Woodstra|editor2-first=Chris|editor3-last=Erlewine|editor3-first=Stephen Thomas|editor3-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|year=2001|title=All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide to Popular Music|publisher=Backbeat Books/All Media Guide|isbn=9780879306274|page=252}}
- psychedelic soul{{cite web|last=Petridis|first=Alexis|title=Curtis Mayfield: where to start in his back catalogue|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/mar/30/curtis-mayfield-where-to-start-in-his-back-catalogue|access-date=March 11, 2025|publisher=The Guardian}}
- funk-soul{{cite web|last=Maginnis|first=Tom|title=Move on Up - Curtis Mayfield {{!}} Song Info|url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/move-on-up-mt0006266268|access-date=March 24, 2021|publisher=AllMusic}}
| length = * 8:49 (album version)
- 2:53 (single)
| label = Curtom
| writer = Curtis Mayfield
| producer = Curtis Mayfield
| prev_title = (Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go
| prev_year = 1970
| next_title = Get Down
| next_year = 1971
| misc = {{External music video|header=Official audio|{{YouTube|A9RMr9KuVZo|"Move On Up"}}}}
}}
"Move On Up" is a song by Curtis Mayfield from his 1970 debut album, Curtis. Nearly nine minutes long on the album version, it was released as a single in the United States, but failed to chart. An edited version of the song spent 10 weeks in the top 50 of the UK Singles Chart in 1971, peaking at number 12, and it has become a soul classic over the years.{{cite book|last1= Warwick |first1= Neil |last2= Jon Kutner |last3= Tony Brown |title= The Complete Book of the British Charts |page= 713 |publisher= Omnibus Press |year= 2004 |isbn= 1-84449-058-0}}{{cite web|url=http://www.polyhex.com/music/chartruns/chartruns.php|title=Search for UK Singles - 1952-2009 |publisher=Polyphex.com|access-date=June 5, 2009}} In 2021, it was listed at No. 474 on Rolling Stone{{'}}s "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".{{Cite magazine |date=September 15, 2021 |title=The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-all-time-1224767/ |access-date=July 3, 2022 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}} The song was influential on the emerging genre of progressive soul and is notable for its prominent, fast-paced percussion, featuring Henry Gibson on congas.{{cite book |last1=Cohen |first1=Aaron |title=Move On Up: Chicago Soul Music and Black Cultural Power |date=2019 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago |isbn=9780226653174 |page=109}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Curtis Mayfield|title=Move On Up|award=Platinum|relyear=2011|certyear=2023|id=15099-4724-1|access-date=February 10, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Other cover versions and sampling
In 1979, disco trio Destination recorded a medley, incorporating "Keep On Pushing", a 1964 hit by the Impressions, also written by Mayfield. Along with the tracks "Up Up Up" and "Destination's Theme", "Move On Up" hit number one on the disco chart for four weeks.Joel Whitburn's, Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003, 2004 It peaked at number sixty-eight on the soul singles chart.Joel Whitburn's Presents Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004, 2004
The Jam, an English rock band active in the late 1970s to the early 1980s led by Paul Weller, released a version of the song on an extended play record in 1982,{{cite web|last=Keith|date=May 27, 2017|title=The Jam - Move On Up|url=https://www.themostimportantsong.com/songs/2017/5/27/the-jam-move-on-up|access-date=March 24, 2021|website=The Most Important Song}} as did Weller's The Style Council in 1985.
Kentucky-based jam-band My Morning Jacket frequently covers the song in their live shows.{{cite web|last=Bernstein|first=Scott|date=August 5, 2012|title=MY MORNING JACKET : MOVE ON UP AT RED ROCKS WITH JOHN OATES, BEN BRIDWELL AND TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE|url=https://glidemagazine.com/89232/my-morning-jacket-move-on-up-at-red-rocks-with-john-oates-ben-bridwell-and-trombone-shorty-orleans-avenue/|access-date=August 5, 2012|website=Glide Magazine|publisher=Glide Publishing LLC}}
Just Blaze heavily sampled the song for Kanye West's 2006 single "Touch the Sky", using a slowed-down version of the horns.{{cite AV media notes |others=Kanye West |title=Late Registration |year=2005 |publisher=Roc-A-Fella Records }}{{cite web|url=https://medium.com/@PaulCantor/yeah-what-is-the-greatest-kanye-west-song-of-all-time-a5e9712662c0|title=I'ma Let You Finish, But This is the Greatest Kanye West Song of All Time|last=Cantor|first=Paul|date=March 2, 2015|website=Medium|access-date=April 10, 2018}}
The song was also used in the credits for the 2024 film Lift. {{cite web | url=https://www.thewrap.com/lift-movie-soundtrack-all-the-songs/ | title=Here Are All the Songs in Netflix's "Lift" | date=January 13, 2024 }}
In popular culture
English football club Arsenal adopted the song as a popular post-game anthem at their Emirates Stadium.{{cite web|url=https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/fixtures-results/arsenal-sweet-caroline-community-shield-13004605.amp|title=Arsenal issue response|website=Football London.com|date=August 6, 2017}}
The song appears on the soundtrack of the 2002 British film Bend It Like Beckham.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportbible.com/football/reactions-take-a-bow-classic-can-we-just-talk-about-how-brilliant-bend-it-like-beckham-is-20180830|title = 'Bend It Like Beckham' is Still One of the All-Time Great Films}}
The song appears in “Margin of Error,” Season 4, Episode 6 of The Wire.{{Cite web |last=Maupin |first=Barry |date=2006-10-16 |title=The Wire Recap: Season 4, Episode 6, “Margin of Error” |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/tv/the-wire-mondays-season-4-ep-6-margin-of-error/ |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=Slant Magazine |language=en-US}}
The song can also be heard on the radio in the 2014 video game Watch Dogs.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamersheroes.com/game-guides/watch-dogs-soundtrack-list/ |title=Watch Dogs Soundtrack List |publisher=Gamersheroes.com |date=2014-05-27 |access-date=2015-03-15}}
The song was used by Joe Biden following the end of his speeches during his 2020 presidential campaign.{{cite web|title=Joe Biden wins South Carolina primary, momentarily stopping Bernie Sanders' rise |last=Caitlin Byrd |publisher=Charleston Post and Courier |date=February 29, 2020 |access-date=March 7, 2020 |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/joe-biden-wins-south-carolina-primary-momentarily-stopping-bernie-sanders/article_8e3b506c-5966-11ea-b608-d770d5452070.html}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{CurtisMayfield}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Curtis Mayfield songs
Category:Song recordings produced by Curtis Mayfield