A cat appear on the bar counter, being patted by the guests, and a lizard lies by the phone. He continues dancing with the woman from the bar. Small then goes up to her band on the scene and continues singing, while the man's girlfriend starts yelling on him and leaves. The couple then starts arguing and the man begins to dance with another woman from the bar. Small begins to sing, standing in the crowd of dancing people. In the beginning, Small is seen arriving the club. It features M People performing the song in a club. The single earned a gold record in New Zealand and a platinum record in Australia.Ī music video of the song was released in September 1993. Outside Europe, it also peaked at number three in Israel, number four in both Australia and New Zealand, number 23 on the RPM Top Singles chart in Canada and number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. Additionally, "Moving On Up" was a Top 20 hit in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it hit number 12. But on the UK Dance Singles Chart, it soared to the number one position. It was held off reaching the top spot by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's " Boom! Shake the Room". In the latter, the single peaked at number two in its second week at the UK Singles Chart, on 26 September 1993. In Europe, it made it to the Top 10 in Finland, France (number three), Ireland (number four) and the United Kingdom. "Moving on Up" proved to be M People's biggest hit worldwide, peaking at number-one on both the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada and the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in the United States. 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 Australian student newspaper Woroni stated that it's a "classic anthem". Louis Post-Dispatch commented, "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. Newcastle Journal said it "was one of the best releases of the year." Reading Evening Post described it as "funky". A reviewer from The Network Forty called it a "perfect uptempo fun springtime" track.
MOVING ON UP ELEGANT SLUMMING UPDATE
James Hamilton from the magazine's RM Dance Update deemed it a "stunningly catchy "nothing can stop me" chanter". A floor filler annex airplay hit is born!" Andy Beevers from Music Week rated it five out of five and complimented it as "another dead catchy radio-friendly tune".
These people restore Funky Town as the capital of good old disco. Pan-European magazine Music & Media stated that "the '90s will be type-cast as the age of retro, both in rock and in dance. The song – an I Will Survive for the '90s – is the highlight of M People's Elegant Slumming". Howard Cohen for The Miami Herald wrote, "The song's got a sassy hook, paired with a glossy fat beat and infectious melody. Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report said that "excitement about this uptempo winner is spreading fast and one listen should explain why." John Hamilton from Idolator praised it 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." Robert Hilburn from Los Angeles Times deemed it a "glorious dancefloor record – as spirited a declaration of independence (from a bad relationship) as Gloria Gaynor's " I Will Survive"." Music writer James Masterton viewed it as "another piece of classic dance pop" in his weekly UK chart commentary. Anderson Jones from Entertainment Weekly noted it as a number "that has set disco balls spinning across Europe". After one spin, you'll be humming the chorus for a week, which is the mark of a true smash." Kendall Morgan from Dallas Morning News called it "ear candy".
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. Keith Farley from AllMusic described the song as a " nu-disco slant".