If you close your eyes and listen to the soaring, glass-shattering high notes of Quincy Jones You Put a Move on My Heart, it’s easy to assume you’re hearing a seasoned diva at the peak of her powers. You aren't. What you’re actually hearing is an 18-year-old from Windsor, Ontario, who had barely stepped foot in a professional recording studio before the legendary "Q" gave her the nod.
Tamia was a teenager when she cut this track. Think about that for a second.
Most people associate this song strictly with Quincy Jones' 1995 masterpiece Q’s Jook Joint, and they’re not wrong—that’s where it became a global R&B staple. But there is a whole layer of history involving British soul royalty and a specific brand of songwriting magic that usually gets left out of the conversation.
The Mica Paris Erasure
Before Tamia ever touched the microphone, the song belonged to someone else. Mica Paris, the "British Queen of Soul," recorded the original version of "You Put a Move on My Heart" for her 1993 album Whisper a Prayer.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a tragedy that the original doesn’t get more shine. Rod Temperton, the genius behind Michael Jackson’s "Thriller" and "Rock with You," wrote and produced Mica’s version. It has this gritty, late-night London vibe that feels entirely different from the polished Quincy production we know today.
While Mica’s version is technically flawless, it didn't ignite the charts. It stayed a bit of an "if you know, you know" underground favorite until Quincy Jones decided he wanted to include it on his star-studded collaborative project.
How Tamia Landed the Gig
The story of how Tamia ended up on the track sounds like a Hollywood script. She was performing at a Multiple Sclerosis benefit in Aspen, Colorado. Brenda Richie (Lionel Richie’s ex-wife) heard her sing and basically told her, "You need to be in L.A."
A few months later, Tamia is at a party Brenda threw for Luther Vandross. She sings. Quincy Jones is there. He’s impressed—which, let's be real, is like getting a gold medal from the Pope of Music. He didn't just offer her a song; he gave her the lead single for his most anticipated album in years.
When they went into the studio for Quincy Jones You Put a Move on My Heart, Quincy didn't treat her like a novice. He pushed her. The song is notoriously difficult to sing because of the dynamic shifts—it starts in a whisper and ends in a vocal supernova.
The Rod Temperton Factor
You can’t talk about this song without talking about Rod Temperton. By the mid-90s, the partnership between Quincy and Rod was the gold standard.
Rod had a specific way of writing melodies. He didn't just write for the voice; he wrote for the rhythm. Even though "You Put a Move on My Heart" is a ballad, it has this underlying staccato pulse in the phrasing.
"I could tell from Michael [Jackson] that the melodies he would sing on uptempo songs are very rhythmically-driven... I tried to write melodies that had a lot of short notes to give him some staccato rhythmic things he could do." — Rod Temperton
He applied that same philosophy to this track. If you listen to the way Tamia delivers the line "Every breath I take is a prayer," she isn't just dragging the notes. She’s hitting them with a percussive precision that Rod was famous for.
Why the Song Still Works in 2026
Production styles from 1995 often sound "dated" now. The snare drums are too loud, or the synths sound like a cheap Casio. But Quincy Jones is a master of "organic" digital production.
He brought in John Clayton for the arrangements and the legendary Bruce Swedien to mix it. Swedien is the guy who pioneered the "Acusonic" recording process. The result is a soundstage that feels massive. When the strings swell in the second chorus, it doesn't sound like a computer—it sounds like a room full of people breathing together.
That’s why this song has stayed in rotation for over 30 years. It’s not a "90s song." It’s a masterclass in vocal production.
The Grammy Nod and the Legacy
The song earned a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 39th Annual Grammy Awards. Tamia didn't win, but she didn't need to. The nomination alone validated her as the new voice of the genre.
It also served as a bridge. Q’s Jook Joint was an album meant to connect the history of Black music—from Bebop to Hip-Hop. By putting a newcomer like Tamia on a track written by a disco legend (Temperton) and produced by a jazz titan (Jones), the song became a physical manifestation of that bridge.
Facts to Remember
- The Original: Released by Mica Paris in 1993.
- The Remix: Quincy Jones' version is the lead single from Q's Jook Joint (1995).
- The Vocalist: Tamia was only 18 during the recording.
- The Length: The album version clocks in at a sprawling 6 minutes and 13 seconds.
Actionable Insights for R&B Fans
If you’re a fan of this track, don't just stop at the radio edit. To really appreciate the craft, you should:
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- Listen to the Mica Paris Original: Find the 1993 version of Whisper a Prayer. Compare how Mica handles the bridge versus how Tamia handles it. Mica is more soulful and "bottom-heavy," while Tamia goes for the "aerial" attack.
- Check the Credits: Look up the other tracks on Q's Jook Joint. The album features everyone from Ray Charles to Bono to Queen Latifah. It's a textbook on how to curate a collaborative album.
- Vocal Study: If you’re a singer, pay attention to Tamia's breath control in the first two minutes. She sings almost entirely in her "head voice" with very little air, which is incredibly hard to do without sounding thin.
- Follow the Songwriter: Dig into Rod Temperton’s catalog beyond Michael Jackson. Check out his work with the band Heatwave ("Always and Forever"). You’ll hear the exact same DNA found in "You Put a Move on My Heart."
Quincy Jones has a knack for finding "The Voice." He did it with James Ingram on "Just Once," and he did it again here. This track isn't just a love song; it's the moment a legend handed over the keys to the next generation.