| "Move It" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
_-_Cliff_Richard.jpg) | ||||
| Single by Cliff Richard and the Drifters | ||||
| B-side | "Schoolboy Crush" | |||
| Released | 29 August 1958 | |||
| Recorded | 24 July 1958 | |||
| Studio | EMI, London | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll | |||
| Length | 2:23 | |||
| Label | Columbia 45-DB4178/78-DB4178 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Ian Samwell (A-side) Aaron Schroeder, Sharon Gilbert (B-side) | |||
| Producer(s) | Norrie Paramor | |||
| Cliff Richard and the Drifters singles chronology | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
_-_Cliff_Richard.jpg) Cover of 1982 reissue | ||||
"Move It" is a song written by Ian Samwell and recorded by Cliff Richard and the Drifters (the English band that would later become the Shadows). Originally intended as the B-side to "Schoolboy Crush", it was released as Richard's debut single on 29 August 1958 and became his first hit record, reaching number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. It is often described as Britain's first authentic rock and roll song. It is credited with being one of the first authentic rock and roll songs produced outside the United States.[1][2] "Schoolboy Crush", written by Aaron Schroeder and Sharon Gilbert, had already been recorded in the US by Bobby Helms. Cliff Richard and the Drifters recorded their own version, which was intended to be the A-side of their debut single. However, when producer Jack Good heard "Move It", he insisted that Richard would have to sing that if he was to appear on Good's TV show Oh Boy! On the planned single, "Move It" was flipped to be the A-side and it went to number 2 in the charts, starting Cliff Richard on a career which included British hits through six decades.[1]
Described by AllMusic as "Presley-esque" and by Richard himself as "my one outstanding rock 'n' roll classic", "Move It" was written on the top deck of a Green Line bus by the Drifters' guitarist Ian "Sammy" Samwell while making the trip to Cliff's house for a band rehearsal.[2] The song's lyrics were a riposte to a 1958 article by Steve Race published in Melody Maker which stated: "So rock’n’roll is dead, is it? My funeral oration consists of just two words: good riddance".[3] Samwell did not complete the second verse, so on the record Cliff sang the first verse twice. Samwell finally finished the second verse in 1995 and sent it to Hank Marvin who included "Move It" on his album Hank plays Cliff, with Cliff Richard having recorded a new vocal track which included the new verse. The new version was debuted live at a Royal Variety Performance in front of Queen Elizabeth II that year. Since then, Richard has continued to perform the song with the additional verse.[2]
- ^ a b Sold on Song Top 100 at bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 18 November 2007.
- ^ a b c "The Ian "Sammy" Samwell Story" Archived 12 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine at iansamwell.com. Retrieved on 18 November 2007.
- ^ "The 2i's and the birth of British rock". Record Collector. 5 October 2007. Retrieved 7 September 2021.