Hush now, child, and don't you cry
Your folks might understand you, by and by
Move on up, toward your destination
You may find from time to time
Complication

Bite your lip, and take a trip
Though there may be wet road ahead
And you cannot slip
So move on up for peace will find
Into the steeple of beautiful people
Where there's only one kind

So hush now, child, and don't you cry
Your folks might understand you, by and by
Move on up, and keep on wishing
Remember your dream is your only scheme
So keep on pushing

Take nothing less, than the supreme best
Do not obey rumors people say
'Cause you can pass the test
Just move on up, to a greater day
With just a little faith
If you put your mind to it you can surely do it

Just move on up
Move on up
But move on up
Oh, child, but just move on up
But move on up
Move on up


Lyrics submitted by msephton, edited by Broken_and_Hollow, epiwoosh, iroc-z

Move on Up Lyrics as written by Curtis L. Mayfield

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Kanjian Music, Royalty Network, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Move On Up song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

8 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    The lyrics are wrong in vital places. This is a rather cyncle, sarcastic and ironic song about growing up.

    "Take nothing less - not even second best" should in fact be: Take nothing less - THAN the second best"

    There is a big difference in meaning.

    Comrade_Liaron March 28, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Yeah,I thought he said that too and that lyric always surprised me. Yet the song itself is inpiring.For the young Black generation especially that song had a lot of power back then."Your folks might understand you by and by".Many older blacks did not go for the big naturals and militant attitudes of the younger folks.Curtis was telling them that one day they would see that the youngsters were right about their passions.And he was VERY right about that final rapprochement.

    Riverman94610on June 06, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    @Comrade Liar

    Dude.. which would be more inspiring.. telling someone to settle for second best, or telling them to settle for nothing less than the best (even second best..)

    bigfoot11on April 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I find this song as one of the most beautiful and inspiring songs I have ever heard. It has a very optimistic tune/melody behind the words.

    funklesson October 19, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Bend it like Beckham!!

    Anyway, this song always gets me in a good mood. It's a great vibe, makes everything in the world seem positive.

    !!**!!on May 17, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's "take nothing less than the supreme best" - he just pronounces "sup-reme" a bit strangely and it's hard to hear

    lm_dmson October 22, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    IM-dms - you are so right! I absolutely love this song, and find it incredibly moving, and that it captures some intense feeling of the 70's (when I was in my teens). But was always really flummoxed by that lyric....how could someone as smart as Curtis M. write a lyric that was nonsensical and seemed kinda demeaning. But yeah - it IS "supreme best" and that makes total sense. He had something really special, a real intensity and need to communicate.

    peter11412on May 16, 2019   Link
  • -1
    General Comment

    Very inspiring indeed.

    Felyson April 09, 2006   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Album art
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Album art
No Surprises
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Album art
Magical
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
Midnight
Ed Sheeran
“Midnight” is a song about finding a love that is so true that it provides a calming feeling through every storm. Ed Sheeran reflects on his good fortunes in landing someone with such peace and support and speaks of not fearing the dark days because he knows they’ll all end in the safety nets of her arms. “Well, good morning there / What a way to start the day / With everything laid bare,” Ed Sheeran sings in the first verse, enthusiastic to be waking up beside his woman. He apologizes for missing her calls in the second verse and promises to return them because for him, speaking to her is the most important thing. “Well, I get lost inside my head / In this chaos, you’re my calm / And I will find my feet again / ‘Cause еven the worst days of my life will always еnd / At midnight in your arms,” sings Ed Sheeran in the chorus, revelling in his good luck.