FEATURE:
Too Good to Be Forgotten: Songs That Are Much More Than a Guilty Pleasure
M People - Moving on Up
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PERHAPS this is a case of…
the band being a guilty pleasure rather than the song. That said, as with every song I include in this feature, I have seen M People’s Moving on Up described as a guilty pleasure. I think there are some that feel the Manchester-formed band are reserved for a certain audience and that their songs are not that great. I really like M People and, when it comes to the best song from them, I would say Moving on Up is right up there – I think that One Night in Heaven tops Moving on Up. I will get to looking at the song itself in a minute. The two songs from M People that I have just mentioned were included on their second album, Elegant Slumming. Released in 1993, the album stunned the music world by winning the Mercury Music Prize in 1994 – beating off competition from the likes of Blur, Pulp, and Primal Scream. In one of the biggest years for Britpop, an album with a more House/Soul feel went on to scoop a huge prize. Elegant Slumming is one of those albums from the ‘90s that does not get talked about too much. As a 2015 review from Sputnik Music explains, it is a pity that Elegant Slumming does not get the same attention as Britpop albums from the time:
“M People’s Elegant Slumming has no legacy. Despite spawning nothing but top 10 hits (including two US dance number ones) and going triple platinum, Elegant Slumming’s diva house doesn’t fit in with the britpop ascendancy narrative prescribed to 1993. With Blur’s Modern Life is Rubbish and Suede’s debut album setting the stage, 93 was the primer to Britpop’s formal 94 breakthrough. M People on the other hand, were too pop and too frivolous to have any serious stake in the times. It’s been quietly forgotten about and it’s only real claim to a legacy today might be that it upset Blur’s Parklife for the 1994 Mercury Music Prize.
It’s a shame because as a pop-dance album Elegant Slumming might even surpass Soul II Soul’s Club Classics Vol. One as the most solid full length the genre produced. Opening with the mighty “One Night in Heaven”, which I can only assume used to send packed clubs into bedlam, M People present their key strength in Heather Small’s powerful, distinctive vocals. She sounds amazing deliver the confident get-the-***-outs of “Movin On Up” (“Take it like a man baby if that’s what you are”) as she does calm and collected on the quiet storm “Love’s in My Soul”. Mike Pickering and Paul Herd take up their role as shadowy producers and turn in beats that bear the distinct marks of early 90’s pop-dance (were producers passing around keyboard patches or something?) but make room for live saxophone and flute solos to spice things up. Smooth R&B joint “Natural Thing” and the proto-Remedy “La Vida Loca” also guaranteed interest once the singles have been left behind.
While maybe not an essential listen, Elegant Slumming is proof positive that there was more happening in the UK in ‘93 than boys making guitar sounds. If you need a blast of early 90s diva-house but don’t want to be as obvious as C+C Music Factory or Snap!, reach for M People’s Elegant Slumming”.
Released on 13th September, 1993, Moving on Up is the second single from the album. With Heather Small providing sensational vocals, one cannot help but be hooked on such a powerful and catchy song! Reaching number-two on the U.K. chart, there was a lot of love for the song, that is for sure! I don’t think one should consider M People or Moving on Up as a guilty pleasure. They are a terrific band, and it is impossible to listen to Moving on Up without feeling energised. The song has received some praise through the years. I want to refer to a Wikipedia article regarding the acclaim Moving on Up has garnered:
“AllMusic editor Keith Farley described the song as a "nu-disco slant" in his review of the Elegant Slumming album. Another editor, Jose F. Promis called it "electrifying". Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that frontwoman Heather Small and the band "deftly blends state-of-the-charts club trends with a reverence for classic Motown and R&B sounds. After one spin, you'll be humming the chorus for a week, which is the mark of a true smash.” In 2017, BuzzFeed listed the song at number 63 in their list of The 101 Greatest Dance Songs Of the '90. Anderson Jones from Entertainment Weekly called it a number "that has set disco balls spinning across Europe". Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report commented that "excitement about this uptempo winner is spreading fast and one listen should explain why.”
John Hamilton from Idolator noted the song as "a confident pop-soul kiss-off", adding that "its funky sax and Small’s pissed-off vocals combined to create nothing short of a club classic, one that provided ample opportunity for gay and straight clubbers alike to bust a move on dancefloors across the nation."[9] Australian music channel Max placed "Moving On Up" at number 565 in their list of 1000 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2011. Music & Media wrote that "the '90s will be type-cast as the age of retro, both in rock and in dance. These people restore Funky Town as the capital of good old disco. A floor filler annex airplay hit is born!". The Network Forty called it a "perfect uptempo fun springtime" song. Newcastle Journal said the single "was one of the best releases of the year." Reading Evening Post described it as "funky". Steve Pick from St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote, "You can hear a straight line from the Stereo MC's "Connected" to this, a deep, in-the-pocket groove featuring a jazzy, funky break in the middle and, of course, subtle tenor saxophone honks. The big difference, aside from the fact that this one isn't quite as catchy, is the presence of a big-voiced disco diva whose alto tones conjure up dim memories of Donna Summer, especially on the soaring, nearly exuberant chorus." Mark-Leon Thorne from Woroni called it a "classic anthem"”.
I really love Moving on Up and feel that it has not aged through the years. Anyone can hear the song fresh and bond with it. If you have not played one of M People’s biggest hits for a while, then play it loud and…
GET the body moving.