Keep On Movin' (Soul II Soul song)

Did You Know?

• The song was originally to only feature Caron Wheeler as a guest vocalist, but after recording in 1988 she was added to the lineup of Soul II Soul.
• The song became the title track for the group's American release Keep on Movin'.
• A live recording of the song was released on Wheeler's live CD/DVD Live at Duo Music Exchange, recorded in Tokyo, Japan.

Critical reception

Donald Ades of El Paisano called the song "a refreshing rehash of the 70's soul/dance music explosion." Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times described it as "an especially well-designed blend of optimistic lyric and understated, almost melancholy vocal and instrumental arrangement." Duff Marlowe termed it a "breezy, romantic composition." Forrest Green III of The Michigan Daily named it "the single of the year by way of its power, range, and scope," noting the beat reminiscent of Eric B.'s "Paid in Full" and the "jazzy, semi-sweet piano groove" with violin undercurrents from the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra. Music & Media called it "slow and sensuous R&B with more than a hint of the 70s." Jerry Smith of Music Week said, "A lush, infectiously loping sound, it must be a massive hit." Alan Jones praised its "serene majesty." Malu Halasa of Record Mirror found Wheeler's work "extremely pleasant." William Shaw of Smash Hits wrote that it is "a fine example of one of those slow, slithery disco smoochers" that "slips together effortlessly to make a supremely luxurious noise."

Retrospective response

In a 2019 retrospective, Justin Chadwick of Albumism remarked on Caron Wheeler's "soaring vocals atop a stirring confection of deep bass and piano flourishes," finding the song "offering a more broadly applicable clarion call to those in need of a little motivation." AllMusic's Alex Henderson described it as a "Chic-influenced gem." In 2009, Daryl Easlea of BBC stated that the song, "with its upbeat message and Norman Whitfield-inspired strings, made a star of vocalist Caron Wheeler," her "authoritative, classic R&B voice sounding electrifyingly soulful." Michael R. Smith of the Daily Vault wrote that it "has an elegant, sweeping style that is set to a danceable beat." The song is mentioned in the first chapter of Paul Gilroy's book The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness (1993), where Gilroy uses it as emblematic of a black transatlantic conversation, describing it as an expression of "the restlessness of spirit which makes the diaspora culture vital."

Music videos

Two music videos exist for the song. The official video features Caron Wheeler in front of a piano before a pink backdrop wearing a white dress-suit, performing the song, with cutscenes of other Soul II Soul members including Aitch B and Jazzie B, and a scene with Wheeler and Jazzie B in black outfits. It also includes a group dancing to choreography. Published on YouTube in June 2009, it had amassed over 12.4 million views as of September 2021. The alternate video shows Wheeler wearing a red tribal jacket and head scarf with a black top, performing against a black background, with Jazzie B in a green and yellow jacket. Singer and dancer Wunmi appears as one of the dancers, wearing a red tribal jacket, and later the group dances with three violinists in the background.

Impact and legacy

Paul Oakenfold named "Keep On Movin'" one of his favourites in Melody Maker in October 1994, calling it "a classic tune" that affected him similarly to Massive Attack. Q Magazine ranked it at number 277 in their "1001 Best Songs Ever" list in 2003. Mixmag listed it at number 87 in its "100 Greatest Dance Singles Of All Time" list in 1996, stating it "was clearly a classic as soon as it came out." In BBC Radio's 2008 listeners and DJs poll "The Greatest Ever Dance Record," the song came in at number 6. The Daily Telegraph ranked it at number 33 in their "Top 50 Dance Songs" list in 2015.