Move On Up

Move On Up

"Move on Up" is a song by Curtis Mayfield from his 1970 debut album Curtis. In 1971, the song spent ten weeks in the top 50 of the UK Singles Chart[1][2], but it did not chart in the United States. In 2001 Bran Van 3000 recorded "Astounded", which featured Curtis Mayfield singing the lyrics of "Move on Up". In 2008, it was used at the end of the movie Semi-Pro, starring Will Ferrell and was covered by Lettuce featuring Dwele on Rage! album, as well as Los Fabulosos Cadillacs on the 2009 album El Arte De La Elegancia De LFC (under the Spanish title "Vamos Ya"). It was covered by The Flying Lizards on their 1981 Fourth Wall LP.[1]. It was also covered by The Jam on the 1982 “Beat Surrender” EP.[2]. It was featured prominently in the Wire episode Margin of Error (The Wire), as the ex-con Dennis "Cutty" Wise jogs across town listening to the song on Election Day.[3]

Disco version

In 1979, disco trio, Destination, recorded the song, incorporating the song, "Keep on Pushing", a 1964 hit by The Impressions. Along with the tracks, "Up Up Up" and "Destination's Theme, "Move on Up", hit number one on the disco chart for four weeks.[4] It peaked at number sixty-eight on the soul singles chart.[5]

"Move On Up" is regularly featured in concerts by the Hip-Hop group The Roots.

It is played after each Arsenal FC game played at the Emirates Stadium.

It is featured in the 1974 U.S. film "The Groove Tube".

In 1998 it was a top 20 disco hit for production duo Trickster

It is also featured in the 2002 British film Bend It Like Beckham.

It was also heavily sampled for the Kanye West song "Touch the Sky", from West's album Late Registration.

Angelique Kidjo made an African version of Move On Up featuring Bono and John Legend on her album Oyo.

References

  1. ^ Warwick, Neil; Jon Kutner, Tony Brown (2004). The Complete Book of the British Charts. Omnibus Press. p. 713. ISBN 1-84449-058-0. 
  2. ^ "Search for UK Singles - 1952-2009". Polyphex.com. http://www.polyhex.com/music/chartruns/chartruns.php. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
  3. ^ http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/episodes/4/43-margin-of-error/music.html
  4. ^ Joel Whitburn's, Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003, 2004
  5. ^ Joel Whitburn's Presents Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004, 2004
Preceded by
"Come to Me" / "Don't Stop Dancing" / "Playboy" by France Joli
Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
(Destination version with "Up Up Up"/"Destination's Theme")

October 13, 1979 - November 3, 1979
Succeeded by
"Harmony" by Suzi Lane