In our new series we take a look at the biggest tunes in dance music, the tracks that go off every single time.

 

 

One of the original Chicago house records, "Move Your Body" has had an unequalled impact on the world of dance music. Made by Chicago native, Marshall Jefferson, just one year after he started producing music the track pioneered many of the tropes that would become house music staples over the coming decades.

Known as the first house music record to include piano, this isn't technically true. While it is indeed the first house record to include the sound of a piano, the notes were actually played by Marshall on a keyboard, and the piano sound sampled with a sequencer.

Believe it or not Marshall was inspired by Led Zeppelin in the production of "Move Your Body". He had been a huge Zeppelin fan growing up and took particular inspiration from their second album. In Led Zeppelin II the band recorded their parts at half the regular speed, then they sped the parts up to make the tracks sound more complex. As though they were fitting far more notes into the usual space.

Marshall did them one better by recording "Move Your Body" at 60bmp before tripling the speed to get to house music's normal 120bmp. The track enabled Marshall to sound like a confident piano player despite having no musical training.

When describing the process, Marshall has often remarked that when he filled his living room up with equipment, having never used any of it, his friends mocked him for hours. But within two days he had written his first song and within a year, "DJs looking for keyboardist to 'play keys like Marshall Jefferson".

Over the past 22 years the track has taken on a life of it's own and has indeed become the 'House Music Anthem' it was referred to on the record sleeve. "Move Your Body" also started the long running trend of self-referential house music - house tracks about house music.

"Move Your Body" has become synonymous with classic house in pop culture and has been used in everything from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, to 24 Hour Party People, to Paris Is Burning.

Dance music in general, and house music in particular, will always be in debt to this classic anthem from Mr. Marshall Jefferson.

 

 

  

Marshall will play Ministry of Sound on Saturday 30th June, tickets & info here.  

 

Thanks to MN2S Agency for their help in organising this piece