Movin' On (Bad Company song)

"Movin' On" is a song written by Mick Ralphs that was first released as a single by Hackensack in 1972.^[2] It was later most famously included on Bad Company's debut album, on which Ralphs played lead guitar. "Movin' On" was also released as the second single from the album, as a follow-up to "Can't Get Enough" and reached #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #30 in Canada.^[3][4]

"Movin' On"
Single by Bad Company
from the album Bad Company
B-side	"Easy on My Soul"
Released	January 1975 (US)[1]
Recorded	November 1973
Venue	Headley Grange, Hampshire, England
Genre	Blues rock
Length	3:21
Label	Island Swan Song
Songwriter(s)	Mick Ralphs
Producer(s)	Bad Company
Bad Company singles chronology
"Can't Get Enough" (1974) "Movin' On" (1975) "Good Lovin' Gone Bad" (1975)

Music and lyrics

Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine described "Movin' On" as a blues boogie.^[5] Billboard described it as a "perfect 'driving' song" and praised Paul Rodgers' vocal performance, Ralph's "staccato guitar work" and the "pounding rhythm section.^[6] Record World said the song "has as much going for it as [Bad Company's] groundbreaking 'Can't Get Enough'" and that "Mick Ralphs tune is locomotion in action."^[7] Detroit Free Press critic Dana Sue Jackson described "Movin' On" as a "harder, lunging number" with a good beat for dancing.^[8] St. Joseph News-Press critic Terry Jordan described the melody as "fascinating."^[9]

The Washington Court House Record-Herald described the lyrics as fitting a roadie's lifestyle, e.g., "And I'm Movin' On/Movin' from town to town/I got to move on/Never seem to touch the ground."^[10]

Reception

Classic Rock History critic Janey Roberts rated "Movin' On" as Bad Company's 7th greatest song, calling it "one of the most soulful songs that Bad Company ever released."^[11] Roberts said that it was an "FM deep tracks radio favorite in the 1970’s" and one of Bad Company's "most soulful songs."^[11] The 100 Greatest Bands of All Time: A Guide to the Legends Who Rocked the World described "Movin' On" as one of Bad Company's "most well-known and beloved hits."^[12] Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Jim Knippenberg as one of the best songs on Bad Company for "mass consumption."^[13] Rolling Stone critic Bud Scoppa said that "Movin' On" contains "nothing that hasn’t been done a thousand times before, but...sounds irresistibly fresh."^[14] The Gazette critic Bill Mann described "Movin' On" as one of the strongest songs on Bad Company (along with "Can't Get Enough") and particularly praised the "strong yet economical drumming."^[15] Cash Box said that "Paul Rodgers' vocals complement the soaring lead guitar of Mick Ralphs while Boz Burrell and Simon Kirke serve as the rhythmic roots."^[16]

"Movin' On" was later released on Bad Company's 1985 compilation album 10 from 6.^[17] Live versions have also been released on several of Bad Company's live albums, such as Live at Wembley.^[18]

References

1. Strong, Martin Charles (1995). Great Rock Discografie. Canongate Press. p. 35. ISBN 9780862415419.
2. "Hackensack - Moving On". Discogs. 1972. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
3. "Hot 100" (PDF). Billboard. March 1, 1975. p. 60. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
4. "Pop Records". Lebanon Daily News. February 26, 1974. p. 3. Retrieved 2020-07-20 – via newspapers.com.
5. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Bad Company". Allmusic. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
6. "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. January 11, 1975. p. 35. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
7. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. January 11, 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
8. Jackson, Dana Sue (September 15, 1974). "British Rock in High Gear". Detroit Free Press. p. 10-B. Retrieved 2020-07-20 – via newspapers.com.
9. Jordan, Terry (August 17, 1974). "Pop Records". St. Joseph News-Press. p. 14. Retrieved 2020-07-20 – via newspapers.com.
10. "Jukebox Journalism". Washington Court House Record-Herald. May 29, 1975. p. 4. Retrieved 2020-07-20 – via newspapers.com.
11. Roberts, Janey (December 2017). "Top 10 Bad Company Songs". Classic Rock History. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
12. Moskowitz, David V., ed. (2015). The 100 Greatest Bands of All Time: A Guide to the Legends Who Rocked the World. ABC-CLIO. p. 27. ISBN 9781440803406.
13. Knippenberg, Jim (August 11, 1974). "Bad Company Scores Victory With Its Debut Album". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 4-F. Retrieved 2020-07-20 – via newspapers.com.
14. Scoppa, Bud (August 29, 1974). "Bad Company". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
15. Mann, Bill (August 17, 1974). "Rock & Pop". The Gazette. p. 47. Retrieved 2020-07-20 – via newspapers.com.
16. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. January 11, 1975. p. 12. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
17. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "10 from 6". Allmusic. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
18. Adams, Bret. "Live at Wembley". Allmusic. Retrieved 2020-07-20.