Is Curtis Mayfield Move On Up Uplifting

[givemesoul]

been one of my fav records for years makes me feel good to be alive

[Paul Shirley]

and me , one of my all time top tunes ......didn't some bloke on soul source not that long ago' say curtis was over rated and hasn't made a good record  , i could not believe  it 

[Geeselad]

and me , one of my all time top tunes ......didn't some bloke on soul source not that long ago' say curtis was over rated and hasn't made a good record  , i could not believe  it 

absolute fool whoever it was. the man was a genius on an equal par with marvin and jb in my book. 

[Sunnysoul]

I love it too but time to re-discover and play some other brilliant Curtis dancers.

By rights this 7" on Curtom from '76 should also be a monster:

 

[boba]

yes

[Roburt]

SIMPLE ANSWER ........... DEFINITELY !!!!

Can't beat Curtis, either in 60's, 70's or 80's mode.

[Dennisoul]

Definitely ......one of the best tunes ever

[Jim Ohara]

Definitely ......one of the best tunes ever

Agree andy

[Barry]

 

Hinckley '82

Edited March 20, 2013 by Barry

[Andreas B]

Top tune, will never be overplayed for me

[Guest manusf3a]

Course it ismCurtis my favourite by far artist.Loved all the albums,Back to the world,Superfly etc,He was always my at home album of choice,same as my mate Wilkys,spent good times listening to Curtis doing Underground and other political stuff during the week as a change from all nighter sounds at the weekends and on some other weekdays.Cutis r.i.p  has a timeless voice ,you could never confuse him with another on first hearing a record of his.Move on up totaly uplifting but as well as loads of his others Youve been cheating with the impressions just drips soul.

Edited March 20, 2013 by manusf3a

[Dave2]

Absolutely.  Brilliant intro.  Sublime mix of strings and horns throughout.

[Dave Pinch]

oh yes

[Ernie Andrews]

Just reminds me of Scoeys soul club when I was a teenager - Just an amazing record even if the Lp version does go on a bit long!

The first words grip you into the song - "Hush now Child - and dont you cry"

[Back Street Blue]

I didn't realize that he was behind the Curtom label or that he had written so much stuff...............hits for Billy Butler, Major Lance and the fascinations!

[Gene-r]

Great track - I always think of the first time I heard it on the radio as a 7-year old in 1971.

[Soul Shrews]

LP version with that wonderful percussian pretty fantastic too.

 

Cheers Paul

[Carty]

yes the lp version  , always playing it.

[Geeselad]

thats ace and never heard it before

I love it too but time to re-discover and play some other brilliant Curtis dancers.

By rights this 7" on Curtom from '76 should also be a monster:

 

[Guest Byrney]

and me , one of my all time top tunes ......didn't some bloke on soul source not that long ago' say curtis was over rated and hasn't made a good record  , i could not believe  it 

Someone did, but I recall they were being ironic with tongue firmly in cheek.

[Guest Andy Kempster]

been one of my fav records for years makes me feel good to be alive

 

 

hell yeah

 

particualrly the 12 minute extended version with the bongo madness in it

[Soulfinger]

Always loved Move On Up. Completely uplifting!

 

I've never been one for instrumental solos of any kind but, whenever I saw Curtis live, Master Henry Gibson's percussion solo in Move On Up was a total highlight.

[Wrongcrowd]

Just reminds me of Scoeys soul club when I was a teenager - Just an amazing record even if the Lp version does go on a bit long!

The first words grip you into the song - "Hush now Child - and dont you cry"

 

Hey, I practically lived at Scoey's when I was kid....and you're right 'Move On Up' was never off the juke box, everytime I hear it, it takes me back to that place and time

 

.....and I've gotta say the extended LP version is a masterclass in soulful percussion....

[givemesoul]

Ty for the replies guy's have to agree the guy was a total genius and sorely missed the tune will stay with me always                                                               

[BrianB]

Great track - I always think of the first time I heard it on the radio as a 7-year old in 1971.

 

This has always been my problem with this track...that it was a huge pop hit in 71, and that spoils it as a northern record for me.

 

Some of the other ex pop hits like LOAMT Robert Knight and the Motown stuff, like the Elgins, Tears of a Clown etc were released because they were played at northern venues and then became hits, but MOU does not have that background and I am still a bit surprised it is played.

 

I know things like Mel Torme, another pop hit will be thrown at me, but I don't think that should be played either.

[Olliewtf]

This is the coolest sound ever

[Kev Cane]

I didn't realize that he was behind the Curtom label or that he had written so much stuff...............hits for Billy Butler, Major Lance and the fascinations!

Curtom sound, Curtis, Impressions, Leroy Hutson and Natural Four to name a few, is as good as anything in black musical history

 

Kev

[Chas]

Mrs T asked me to suggest a track for her facebook page on new years eve,"this year"by Curtis popped into my head,a hidden gem if ever there was one..inspirational.

[Peter99]

Yes it's a great track - along with loads of other stuff he's done. I like this

 

 

 

 

More to the man than just music.

 

Peter

[Back Street Blue]

Curtom sound, Curtis, Impressions, Leroy Hutson and Natural Four to name a few, is as good as anything in black musical history

 

Kev

 

Yes I got a copy of the three disc "Curtom Story" which has good "sleeve notes" so I'm just catching up on all his stuff but I didn't realize how prolific he was, going right back to the mid-60's.

[Garethx]

and me , one of my all time top tunes ......didn't some bloke on soul source not that long ago' say curtis was over rated and hasn't made a good record  , i could not believe  it 

That was actually a wind up by Joel in the thread on funk at Northern venues.

 

"Move On Up" has simply got to be one of the greatest records ever made. That's not a claim I would throw around lightly.

 

One I've never owned because it doesn't need to be owned. It's in your heart because it's elemental. Like Carbon or Oxygen.

[Chas]

Check him out on the"who sampled"website,tells you who's covered and sampled his work,a great way of hearing new music.

[Davenpete]

 

Hinckley '82

My first allnighter.

Dx

[Guest manusf3a]

Yes it's a great track - along with loads of other stuff he's done. I like this

 

 

 

 

More to the man than just music.

 

Peter

Love this album Peter,phookin magic,bought it after seeing the film Superfly when it first came out at the pictures,I went to see it at basildon when I was about 14 as part of a midweek cinema visit they used to do from my approved school ardale nr Grays.There was about half a dozen of us went and within a couple of weeks we nearly all had a copy of the lp and it got hammered loads in the record room.Seems as fresh as the day every listen Over the tears the song has meant more and more to me and myfriends ,some sadly gone but they arent going to be forgotten by me.

Edited March 22, 2013 by manusf3a

[Peter99]

Love this album Peter,phookin magic,bought it after seeing the film Superfly when it first came out at the pictures,I went to see it at basildon when I was about 14 as part of a midweek cinema visit they used to do from my approved school ardale nr Grays.There was about half a dozen of us went and within a couple of weeks we nearly all had a copy of the lp and it got hammered loads in the record room.Seems as fresh as the day every listen Over the tears the song has meant more and more to me and myfriends ,some sadly gone but they arent going to be forgotten by me.

Hiya Manus

 

I hope you're well. It is indeed a top album with lots of powerful messages. The man was a poet.

 

Peter

[Guest stevie frear]

Hey remember watching him in black n white on top of pops wi mi mam performing "Move on up"   Think it change mi life ! or certainly mi music one

 

stevie

[Guest manusf3a]

Sure was Pete,sure was

[Peter99]

The wonderful Jerry Butler also performed with Curtis as a member of the Impressions. I think the group may well have been Jerry Butler and the Impressions to start with.

 

Peter

 

 

[macca]

This has always been my problem with this track...that it was a huge pop hit in 71, and that spoils it as a northern record for me.

 

Some of the other ex pop hits like LOAMT Robert Knight and the Motown stuff, like the Elgins, Tears of a Clown etc were released because they were played at northern venues and then became hits, but MOU does not have that background and I am still a bit surprised it is played.

 

I know things like Mel Torme, another pop hit will be thrown at me, but I don't think that should be played either.

 

Because they lack obscurity/rarity? I know what you mean. As a teenager it was drilled into me that NS had to be rare, obscure etc. I felt ill at ease one night at Wigan when they played "Nowhere To Run" and "Another Saturday Night" in the main hall. I absolutely LOVED (and love) these records outside the NS context but I felt I'd been sort of short changed that night, even though it was an oldies all-nighter. "Move On Up" gives you wings, it's an incredible tune, but I'd rather hear other stuff out to be honest...

[Derek Pearson]

This has always been my problem with this track...that it was a huge pop hit in 71, and that spoils it as a northern record for me.

 

Some of the other ex pop hits were released because they were played at northern venues and then became hits, but MOU does not have that background and I am still a bit surprised it is played.

 

Mmmm it's interesting you say that - 'Move On Up' was before my time and I always sort of assumed it was initially a big underground northern hit which then crossed over into the pop charts.

 

So wasn't 'Move On Up' played much as a new release then on the northern scene?

 

And the reason this thread caught my eye was that only a few days ago after I'd been out walking mi dog near Shipley I called into a co-op in Saltaire on mi way home for some bits n bats. As I was bending over to examine the fresh bread 'Move On Up' came on over the in house radio.

 

It still sort of shocks me somewhat to hear it in places like this but I do feel an element of pride knowing that our scene helped to make it the classic it is.

 

And just like The Beatles its the sort of track you'll hear every now and again on the radio or where ever till the day I die.

 

To be honest I could never dance to it as it's so bleeding fast - does anybody know what its BPM is?

 

Still love to hear it though - uplifting is such a great word to describe it.

 

And from a collectors point of view - it wasn't a hit on release in America, that's why US copies are pretty rare and a lot more expensive (seen demo's @ £50 last year).

 

Derek

[Fdsoul6345789]

It will always be a Desert Island Disc for me ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT

[macca]

Mmmm it's interesting you say that - 'Move On Up' was before my time and I always sort of assumed it was initially a big underground northern hit which then crossed over into the pop charts.

 

So wasn't 'Move On Up' played much as a new release then on the northern scene?

 

And the reason this thread caught my eye was that only a few days ago after I'd been out walking mi dog near Shipley I called into a co-op in Saltaire on mi way home for some bits n bats. As I was bending over to examine the fresh bread 'Move On Up' came on over the in house radio.

 

It still sort of shocks me somewhat to hear it in places like this but I do feel an element of pride knowing that our scene helped to make it the classic it is.

 

And just like The Beatles its the sort of track you'll hear every now and again on the radio or where ever till the day I die.

 

To be honest I could never dance to it as it's so bleeding fast - does anybody know what its BPM is?

 

Still love to hear it though - uplifting is such a great word to describe it.

 

And from a collectors point of view - it wasn't a hit on release in America, that's why US copies are pretty rare and a lot more expensive (seen demo's @ £50 last year).

 

Derek

It's connection to the Northern Scene, as far as I know, is via Dave Evison who played it 'by mistake' one night at Wiganin the late 70s. He was keeping an eye on things for a DJ who'd gone for a leak and had to pull a record out quickly and stick it on.... The crowd must have reacted favourably as it came to be identified with Dave Evison... So the scene never really had a part in the record's success, unlike stuff like Tammi Lynn, The Tams etc...

[Sebastian]

I've always found it intriguing that "Move On Up" was a complete failure on its original 45 release in the US. It didn't chart at all. 

 

One of my personal "desert island tunes". I never seem to tire of it.

Edited March 23, 2013 by Sebastian

[Guest]

He's done better records.. Can't stand it myself. One of the records that for some reason the i can't stand modern soul fraternaty love. Ranks along with Sister Sledge Love don't go, in my opinion.

[Lfcjunkie]

Course it ismCurtis my favourite by far artist.Loved all the albums,Back to the world,Superfly etc,He was always my at home album of choice,same as my mate Wilkys,spent good times listening to Curtis doing Underground and other political stuff during the week as a change from all nighter sounds at the weekends and on some other weekdays.Cutis r.i.p  has a timeless voice ,you could never confuse him with another on first hearing a record of his.Move on up totaly uplifting but as well as loads of his others Youve been cheating with the impressions just drips soul.

just imagine being a young black man in the usa back in the day this came out and hearing this and the line "take nothing less than the supreme best" enough said ?

[Lfcjunkie]

Yes it's a great track - along with loads of other stuff he's done. I like this

 

 

 

 

More to the man than just music.

 

Peter

thanks for posting this up just about my all time favourite curtis track  every line (pardon the pun)and lyric just so bang and still so poignant today play this to most young music lovers that ain,t really into soul usually love the groove instantly but even more when they take in the lyrics,something curtis would have been proud of as i guess that was his intention anyway

dave L

[Peter99]

Hi Dave

 

No problem mate. I love lots about the record - but love the spoken intro. Curtis is so cool - he was a poet and musical genius and as you say sooo relevant to today. He was probably also the father of drum and bass!

 

Peter

Edited March 23, 2013 by Peter99

[givemesoul]

Up to everyone i guess on opinions

He's done better records.. Can't stand it myself. One of the records that for some reason the i can't stand modern soul fraternaty love. Ranks along with Sister Sledge Love don't go, in my opinion.Absolutely nothing wrong with the sister sledge track commercial maybe but still a decent record up to you mate

[Anais nin Carms]

YES    a great sound still today ... along with ain't nothing but a house party , it has an in my youth association with us older members

[Biggordy]

Curtis Mayfield was my introduction to soul music around 20 years ago.  Jamaican music has always been my first love and a mate told me that just about every rocksteady tune ever was a CM cover.  So I got a best of the Impressions LP and been hooked on soul ever since.  Move On Up is his greatest tune of course.