Move On Up
Encyclopedia
"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
, 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.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FL9uSKEEF8. It was also covered by The Jam
on the 1982 “Beat Surrender” EP.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7LtX9k_ElU. 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
.
"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.
Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
from his 1970 debut album Curtis. In 1971, the song spent ten weeks in the top 50 of the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, but it did not chart in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 2001 Bran Van 3000
Bran Van 3000
Bran Van 3000 is an electronica collective from Manhattan, New York City, New York and Montreal, Quebec. Founded by DJ James Di Salvio and E.P...
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
Semi-Pro
Semi-Pro is a 2008 American sports screwball comedy film from New Line Cinema. The film was directed by Kent Alterman and stars Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, André Benjamin and Maura Tierney. The film was shot in Los Angeles near Dodger Stadium , in Detroit and in Flint, Michigan...
, starring Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell
John William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
and was covered by Lettuce featuring Dwele
Dwele
Andwele Gardner , better known by his stage name Dwele is a soul singer, songwriter and record producer from Detroit, Michigan.-Biography:...
on Rage! album, as well as Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs is an Argentine ska band from Buenos Aires. Formed in 1985, they released their first album, Bares y Fondas in 1986...
on the 2009 album El Arte De La Elegancia De LFC
El Arte De La Elegancia De LFC
El Arte De La Elegancia De LFC is the sixteenth album by Ska argentine band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs.In a similar manner of the previous one, the album is mostly composed of re-makes of some classic songs with only 3 new songs amongst them a cover.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Pemberton Roach...
(under the Spanish title "Vamos Ya"). It was covered by The Flying Lizards
The Flying Lizards
The Flying Lizards were an English experimental rock band, who were formed in 1976 in England. They are best remembered as New wave one-hit wonders, thanks to their deliberately eccentric cover of Barrett Strong's "Money", which became a UK and US chart success in 1979.-Career:Formed by and led by...
on their 1981 Fourth Wall LP.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FL9uSKEEF8. It was also covered by The Jam
The Jam
The Jam were an English punk rock/New Wave/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were formed in Woking, Surrey. While they shared the "angry young men" outlook and fast tempos of their punk rock contemporaries, The Jam wore smartly tailored suits rather than ripped...
on the 1982 “Beat Surrender” EP.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7LtX9k_ElU. It was featured prominently in the Wire
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
episode Margin of Error (The Wire), as the ex-con Dennis "Cutty" Wise jogs across town listening to the song on Election Day
Election Day
* Election Day – the day on which political elections are held* Election Day – first single released by the pop group Arcadia.* Election Day Part I – episode 148 of The West Wing ....
.
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. It peaked at number sixty-eight on the soul singles chart."Move On Up" is regularly featured in concerts by the Hip-Hop group The Roots
The Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
.
It is played after each Arsenal FC
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
game played at the Emirates Stadium
Emirates Stadium
Ashburton Grove, currently known as the Emirates Stadium, is a UEFA elite football stadium which is home to Arsenal FC, where they moved from Highbury in 2006. It has an current capacity of 60,361, and there have been rumours of an expansion...
.
It is featured in the 1974 U.S. film "The Groove Tube
The Groove Tube
The Groove Tube , written and produced by Ken Shapiro, was a low-budget comedy film. It satirized television and the counterculture of the early 1970s. The film was originally produced to be shown at the Channel One Theater on East 60th St...
".
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
Bend It Like Beckham
Bend It Like Beckham is a 2002 comedy-drama film starring Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Myers, Anupam Kher, Shaznay Lewis, and Archie Panjabi first released in the United Kingdom. The film was directed by Gurinder Chadha...
.
It was also heavily sampled for the Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
song "Touch the Sky
Touch the Sky
"Touch the Sky" is a song by American hip hop artist Kanye West. It was released in early 2006 as the fourth single from his second album, Late Registration. The song features Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco on his radio debut and was produced by Just Blaze, standing as the only song on the entire album...
", from West's album Late Registration
Late Registration
Late Registration is the second studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released August 30, 2005, on Roc-A-Fella Records. Recording sessions for the album took place over the course of a year at various recording studios located in New York City and Hollywood...
.
Angelique Kidjo
Angélique Kidjo
Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, commonly known as Angélique Kidjo is a Grammy Award–winning Beninoise singer-songwriter and activist, noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. Time Magazine has called her "Africa's premier diva". The BBC has...
made an African version of Move On Up featuring Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
and John Legend
John Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
on her album Oyo.