"Move Away"
Single by Culture Club
from the album From Luxury to Heartache
B-side"Sexuality"
Released3 March 1986 (1986-03-03)[1]
Length4:22
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Culture Club singles chronology
"Love Is Love"
(1985)
"Move Away"
(1986)
"God Thank You Woman"
(1986)

"Move Away" is a song by British band Culture Club, issued as the lead single from their fourth album, From Luxury to Heartache (1986). The song was produced by Lew Hahn and Arif Mardin. Released in March 1986, it became the group's eighth top-10 hit on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number seven. In the United States, it reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming their last top-40 hit in the US. It also reached the top 10 in various other countries, including Denmark, where it peaked at number three.

Critical reception

On its release, Eleanor Levy of Record Mirror described "Move Away" as a "very clever, radio-orientated pop tune" with a "sparkling production" and "creditable performance".[2] Jerry Smith of Music Week praised it as a "classic pop tune" on which George "delivers a strong vocal over [the] polished production". He added the song "certainly surpasses anything that appeared on the awful Waking Up with the House on Fire".[3]

In the US, Cash Box praised the "effervescent production and Boy George’s rich, silky voice."[4] Billboard said it consists of "guileless, breezy hooks."[5]

Music video

The video-clip for the song, which cast Boy George and Jon Moss as silent film-stars racing cars across a black/white movie screen, was filmed at the Brixton Academy, London. George's friend Alice Temple can also be seen in the video.

Track listings

7-inch vinyl

A. "Move Away"
B. "Sexuality" (7-inch version (alternate mix))

12-inch vinyl

A. "Move Away" (extended mix)
B. "Sexuality" (Tango dub remix version)

5-inch vinyl

A. "Move Away"
B. "Sexuality"

Charts

References

  1. ^ "New Singles". Music Week. 1 March 1986. p. 10.
  2. ^ Levy, Eleanor (8 March 1986). "Singles". Record Mirror. p. 8. ISSN 0144-5804.
  3. ^ Smith, Jerry (15 March 1986). "A&R: Singles Reviews" (PDF). Music Week. p. 29. Retrieved 1 September 2022 – via World Radio History.
  4. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. 5 April 1986. p. 11. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Reviews". Billboard. 5 April 1986. p. 71. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  6. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. ^ "Culture Club – Move Away" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0667." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8181." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  10. ^ "Top 3 in Europe". Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 16. 26 April 1986. p. 16.
  11. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles". Eurotipsheet. Vol. 3, no. 14. 12 April 1986. p. 12.
  12. ^ "Culture Club – Move Away" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  13. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Move Away". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 16, 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Culture Club – Move Away" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Culture Club – Move Away". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  17. ^ "Culture Club – Move Away". VG-lista. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  18. ^ "Culture Club – Move Away". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Culture Club – Move Away". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  20. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Culture Club Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  22. ^ "Culture Club Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  23. ^ "Culture Club Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  24. ^ "Culture Club Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  25. ^ "Culture Club Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  26. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Culture Club – Move Away" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  27. ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1986". Kent Music Report. December 1986. Retrieved 24 January 2023 – via Imgur.
  28. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1986" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  29. ^ "Top 100 Singles of '86". RPM. Retrieved 14 May 2023 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  30. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles: Hot 100 of the Year 1986". Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 51/52. 27 December 1986. pp. 28–29.