Monday, February 15, 2021

Song of the Day: 'Moving on Up' by M People


Today's SOTD comes to you via a circuitous and -- surprise -- dated path. My friends Nina and Mark recently discovered the British television show "Miranda" (from 2009) and got me to check it out. It stars gawky comedian Miranda Hart as a socially awkward owner of a toy store in London. (It's good if a bit uneven, sort of a test-run for the superior "Fleabag.") 




Miranda's best friend and sole employee, Stevie (played by Sarah Hadland), frequently breaks into what Damian and I thought was a brilliant Cher impersonation -- only to later realize she's actually singing Heather Small's "Proud." ("What have you done today to make you feel proud?" she bellows. That she was holding up a cutout of a woman who clearly was not Cher might have been our first clue!) Apparently this 2000 song was later the official anthem for the 2012 London Olympics -- and used on the American "Queer as Folk" -- but why Stevie is obsessed with it is unclear to me even five episodes into the show as the character is neither an athlete nor gay. Still, it is quirkily amusing -- like the rest of the show -- so why not? (Tom Ellis as Gary, the object of Miranda's gawky affection is the best part of the show.) 


Upon learning the identity of the singer we discovered Small is none other than the vocalist of a song I do know well -- this M People dance favorite ... from 1993. Enjoy!

4 comments:

Dov said...

I first heard this song in the movie "The First Wives Club" when they go visit the daughter in a Lesbian Bar.

monty said...

And "Miranda" is what today's "Call Me Kat" with Mayim Bialik is based on...

QAF Fan said...

It was also one of the BIG songs in the first episode of the American version of QAF (Brian and Michael standing on the ledge of the balcony at the hospital).

Claude Remains said...

Fox´s new prime-time sit-com "Call me Kat" is based on "Miranda"!!!