Keating; Pizer; Fig Leaf Software, 2002. p. 247. After a few meetings with various A&R personnel, they signed with the publishing house Lionheart. Simple. Believing the customer left without paying the bill, she angrily crumples and throws the woman's comic book into a bin. [47], "Take On Me" was released for the third time in the United Kingdom in September 1985. [13], As the chorus progresses, Harket's voice hits ever higher notes, reaching a falsetto[11][15][16] and hitting the song's highest note (E5, the dominant note) at the end. [7], The band moved into an apartment in London and began contacting record companies and publishing houses. "Take On Me" is a song by Norwegian synthpop band A-ha, first released in 1984. [13] He sings the lowest pitch in the song, A2 (the tonic), at the beginning of the chorus, on the first syllable of the phrase "Take On Me". It was released as a-ha’s debut single in September 1984 to huge success in their homeland of Norway. [96] Despite being panned by music critics, who called it a "lame cover version",[97] and a "note for note copy" that seems like "a re-release of the original";[98] it was commercially successful, topping the charts in the United Kingdom and Norway. "Take on me" in Norwegian is, "Ta på meg". [7] Waaktaar initially thought the song would be too pop to work with although Furuholmen recalled thinking it was "quite catchy". [10], In 2020, former Warner Brothers UK and Reprise executive Andrew Wickham appeared in A-ha's official anniversary documentary A-ha: The Making of Take On Me, to explain how the song's success was due to several parties realising the band's true value. John Ratcliff – production and re-mixing (1984 version), "Why Do All the Girls Think They're Fat?" And at the end of the song switches meaning slightly… “Take me where ever you are going… take me with you”. We're talking away I don't know what I'm to say I'll say it anyway Today's another day to find you Shying away I'll be coming for... “Take on Me” is a synthpop song that combines various instrumentation that includes acoustic guitars, keyboards, and drums. Paul also played the main riff on a second keyboard at the same time as mags .The Yamaha DX7 and PPG Wave synthesizers were also used for the song. [33] The visuals of the video were used as an homage for Paramore's music video for "Caught in the Middle". It features A1 entering the computer world by putting on virtual reality glasses after finding out about a deadly computer virus. Take on me (take on me) Take me on (take on me) I'll be gone In a day or two. The song was then remixed and re-released internationally, but it wasn’t until its groundbreaking, award-winning music video of pencil-sketch animation combined with live-action shot of a girl dragged into a comic book world came out four months later that the song’s success was repeated around the world. * Sales figures based on certification alone.^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. 12": MCA / MCA-9146T United Kingdom (1984), 12": MCA / MCA-9006T United Kingdom (1985), 7": MCA. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. [2] They were joined by singer Morten Harket and began working on demos, including a new version of "Miss Eerie", which was renamed "Lesson One" before it evolved into "Take On Me". Oh, things that you say. / MCA-29011 United States (1985), 12": Warner Bros. / PRO-A-2291 (Promo) United States (1985). [22] The crew of the video were director Steve Barron,[22] producer Simon Fields,[22] cinematographer Oliver Stapleton,[29] editor Richard Simpson from Rushes Film Editing,[30] and animators Michael Patterson and Candace Reckinger. [118] The cover was released as part of the album La La Land: The Complete Musical Experience.[119]. Give it a listen and you'll see I was jokin'! Take on Me Lyrics: Talking away / Though I don't know what I'm to say / I'll say it anyway / Today's another day to find you / Shying away / I'll be coming for your love, okay? "Take On Me" was also nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Video at the American Music Awards of 1986. The original version was produced by Tony Mansfield and remixed by John Ratcliff. [30], The music video has been referenced throughout popular culture. Track 2 is produced by John Ratcliff with A-ha. 1 in numerous countries. In Norway, A-ha's native country, "Take On Me" re-entered the VG-lista singles chart, reaching a new peak of number one, a year after it was first released. I love this app, it really helps you dive even deeper to the songs we love, High notes are fucking impossible for me to sing, TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE OOOOOOOOON MEEEEEEEEEEEEE. The woman, now back in the real world and found lying beside the bin to the surprise of cafe guests and staff, retrieves the comic from the bin and runs home where she attempts to smooth out the creases to learn what happens next. The first release of "Take On Me" in 1984 includes a completely different recording, and was featured in the first video, which shows the band singing with a blue background. The song was later released on the BASEketball soundtrack and the international version of their album Why Do They Rock So Hard? Wallach makes an appearance as the lead singer of a 1980s pop cover band that features Sebastian Wilder, one of the film's two protagonists. In January 1983, the band returned to London in search of a recording contract. The video's main theme is a romantic fantasy narrative. [32] The video was also one of the first to be made into a literal music video. The song was sampled in the song "Feel This Moment" (2013) by Pitbull featuring Christina Aguilera. My take on the problem is that we need to devote more of our resources to expanding our marketing campaign. “Take on Me” is a synthpop song that combines various instrumentation that includes acoustic guitars, keyboards, and drums. At the same time, his image appears in the woman's hallway; seemingly torn between real and comic form, hurling himself repeatedly left-and-right against the walls as he attempts to shatter his two-dimensional barrier (This scene is largely patterned after a climactic scene in the 1980 film Altered States.[19]). In 1984, a-ha released their first single, "Take On Me", which became a hit only on the third attempt in 1985, after it had been re-recorded and accompanied by a music video directed by Steve Barron. [9], Magne played the main melody on a Roland Juno-60 analog synthesizer. The 1985 was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's debut studio album, Hunting High and Low (1985). [36] On 17 February 2020, the music video reached one billion views on YouTube. Aha is a Norwegian band. The single's international success helped a-ha's debut album Hunting High and Low to sell over 10 million copies worldwide. “Take me on”, because life is so short, and it will pass by so fast. 26 (29 June 1985), p. 37. Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. [116] The style of his version has been described as "tropical house". The racers smash the looking glass with the pipe wrench, trapping the woman in the comic book. [25] It begins with a montage of pencil drawings in a comic-book style representing motorcycle sidecar racing, in which the hero (played by Morten Harket) is pursued by two opponents, one of whom is played by English actor Philip Jackson. And works beautifully. The video, set in 1985 in the "Cuomo Residence", shows Wolfhard (as Cuomo) and the rest of Calpurnia, lip-syncing to the song while "rehearsing" it in the residence's living room. Back in the cafe, the waitress returns to find the woman missing. Track 3 is the same version as the album version. "Take On Me" is a song by Norwegian synth-pop band A-ha. A-ha also became the first Scandinavian act to achieve this.[37][38][39]. [55][56] The success of "Take On Me" lies also in its sales, as the single would go on to sell over seven million copies worldwide,[citation needed] making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. In 2017, A-ha appeared on the television series MTV Unplugged and played and recorded acoustic versions of many of their popular songs for the album MTV Unplugged – Summer Solstice. [95], In August 2000, British-Norwegian boy band A1 released a cover of "Take On Me" for their second studio album, The A List. "[1], "Take On Me" is a synth-pop song that includes acoustic and electric guitars and keyboards,[11][12] written at a very fast tempo of 169 beats per minute. Harket demonstrates a vocal range of over two and a half octaves. It was filmed in 1985 at Kim's Café (now called Savoy Café) (corner of Wandsworth Road and Pensbury Place, London SW8), and on a sound stage in London. "Ta på meg" in Norwegian means, hold onto me or touch me. "Take On Me" is a 1984 song by Norwegian synth-pop band A-ha. AllMusic journalist Tim DiGravina described "Take On Me" as "a new wave classic laced with rushing keyboards, made emotionally resonant thanks to Morten Harket's touching vocal delicacy. Take on me (take on me) Take me on (take on me) I'll be gone In a day or two. After flying for a distance, they find the virus and destroy it, saving the world. Upcoming Pop-Punk band from Mississauga, Canada. [7] A mix of a drum machine, the LinnDrum,[17][18] acoustic guitars, and electronic instrumentation serves as the song's backing track.[11]. The original 1984 version of the song is also featured nearer to the beginning of the film. Once inside, she too appears in the pencil-drawn form, as he sings to her and introduces her to his black-and-white world which features a sort of looking-glass portal where people and objects look real on one side and pencil-drawn on the other. “Take on Me” is a synthpop song that combines various instrumentation that includes acoustic guitars, keyboards, and drums. "Take On Me" is one of those classic songs from the first note until the last grabs you and keeps your motor running the entire time. “Take On Me” hit #1 in eleven countries and eventually sold over 7 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all-time. The original version was produced by Tony Mansfield, and remixed by John Ratcliff. Origin. The comic's hero, after winning the race, seemingly winks at the woman from the page. Also see Camelot, duration, release date, label, popularity, energy, danceability, and happiness. The single was released in the USA one month after the music video, and immediately appeared in the Billboard Hot 100[8] and a worldwide smash, reaching No. Steve Barron directed a revolutionary rotoscoping animation music video which took six months to create, using professional artists. In the United States, Warner Bros. invested in the revolutionary second video for "Take On Me", which used Tarney's version of the song. The story is concluded in the opening of "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." [13] The lyrics are a plea for love[14] and constructed in a verse–chorus form with a bridge before the final chorus. Key and BPM for Take on Me by a-ha. Official A-Ha website, has lyrics, see lyrics, love lyrics. Track 1 is produced by Tony Mansfield and remixed by John Ratcliff with A-ha. [91][92] The band also performs the song at concerts. [2], One of the tracks rehearsed around this time was called "Miss Eerie", which had an original title of "Panorama". American rock band Weezer included a cover version of the song in their 2019 covers compilation The Teal Album. [20][21] Approximately 3,000 frames were rotoscoped, which took 16 weeks to complete. Take on me (take on me) Take me on (take on me) I'll be gone In a day or two music video. About "Take On Me" is a 1985 hit synthpop single by the Norwegian new wave pop band A-Ha. The video won six awards and was nominated for two others at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards. The song combines synth-pop with a varied instrumentation, including acoustic guitars, keyboards, and drums. [2] They intended the song to show off Harket's vocal range, which led to his vocals "doing this spiraling thing". It turns out "Take on Me" has one of the biggest pitch ranges of any song I've done so far on this site, spanning nearly 3 octaves...! [8] The song was produced using the Roland Juno-60 synthesizer for the main riff, along with the Yamaha DX7 and PPG Wave synthesizers. Minority 905’s Take On Me cover brings the Punk aesthetic to the table playing the entire song on guitars/bass/drums. The song can also be played through Just Dance Now and Just Dance Unlimited. A-ha returned to Norway to earn some money; when they returned to London, they left Lionheart out of frustration. The song is written in the key of A major with a chord progression of Bm7–E7–A–Dmaj7–C♯m7 in the verse, A–C♯m7/G♯–F♯m–D in the chorus, and C♯m–G–C♯m–G–Bm–E in the bridge. [44] It remained on the chart for twenty-seven weeks,[45] and ended up at the tenth position of the 1985 year-end chart. "Take On Me" originated from Pål Waaktaar's and Magne Furuholmen's previous band Bridges. A-ha did win eight MTV Video Music Awards, six for "Take On Me" and two for "The Sun Always Shines on TV". An instrumental cover appears in Sackboy: A Big Adventure (2020). See also: on, take take (something) on (oneself) 1. Wickham placed the band on high priority and applied a lateral strategy with further investment. [6] The first take of the song was inspired in part by Doors member Ray Manzarek and his "almost mathematical but very melodic, structured way of playing". The bridge section is perhaps the strongest part of this cover with the band replicating the frantic keyboards on A-ha’s version on the guitar. They caused a stir and left many people to wonder about the meaning when they chose to translate literally, word for word, instead of figuratively. Smiling, the woman walks towards him. Get DJ recommendations for harmonic mixing. It included elements of what would later become "Take On Me", including the central synth riff, which Magne Furuholmen created when he was 15 years old. [26], At the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards, the video for "Take On Me" won six awards—Best New Artist in a Video, Best Concept Video, Most Experimental Video, Best Direction in a Video, Best Special Effects in a Video, and Viewer's Choice—and was nominated for two others, Best Group Video and Video of the Year. With this encouragement, the band managed to complete some songs, including "Take On Me". On 27 August 2015, Norwegian DJ Kygo released a remixed version via iTunes. When “Take on Me” was released in October 1984, it sold 300 copies. Every artist has their fifteen minutes of fame and A-Ha outdid themselves with this contribution. "Take On Me" evolved from the early demo called "The Juicy Fruit Song" written by Pål Waaktaar and Magne Furuholmen before A-ha was formed. An alternative video for the song's international release that contained only the stadium aisle footage was also released. Morten sang "Take On Me" using a Neumann U47 microphone as well as a Neve microphone pre-amp and Neve equaliser. Take me on (Take on me) I'll be gone in a day or two So needless to say, I'm odds and ends but I'll be Stumbling away, slowly learning that life is okay Say after me, it's no better to be safe than sorry Take on me (Take on me) Take me on (Take on me) I'll be gone in a day or two. I do not own this song all credits go to A-haArtist: A-haSong: Take on Mecomment, enjoy and subscribe The band rushed to release "Take On Me" as a single in the United Kingdom but the single only charted at 137, the lowest-charted of all A-ha songs. take it out on phrase. The sound was not what A-ha had hoped to achieve, and the album was remixed again. The song combines synth-pop with a varied instrumentation, including acoustic guitars, keyboards, and drums. In the United States in October 1985, it became the only A-ha song to top the Billboard Hot 100, assisted by wide exposure on MTV of its innovative music video, directed by Steve Barron. As the woman reads, the waitress brings her coffee and the bill. Take on me (take on me) Take me on (take on me) I'll be gone In a day or two. The Family Guy episode "Breaking Out Is Hard to Do" includes a licensed, re-edited version of the video. He then turns the page to draw what would become Weezer's band logo. / Take on me (Take on He authorised considerable investment in the band: on Slater's recommendation, renowned producer Alan Tarney was commissioned to refine the song. After a few meetings, Slater signed them with Warner Bros. Records UK. "Take On Me" was originally released in 1984, and was mixed by Tony Mansfield, but failed to make an impact in the United Kingdom. Near the end of the video, Wolfhard is shown sitting at a desk in his bedroom, scribbling possible names for his new band on a page of a notebook (the name Weezer is shown as option No.3). (someone's) take on (something) Someone's perspective, opinion, or idea(s) about something. ", Wickham immediately signed A-ha to Warner Brothers America, after learning several previous attempts had failed to make "Take On Me" a commercial success. He detailed how the song finally became the worldwide smash hit still widely recognised today. [117], A cover by D. A. Wallach was featured in the film La La Land. ", "Reel Big Fish Plays Surprise Show, Takes On A-ha", "Reel Big Fish Baits Ska Fans With New Disc", "Album Review: Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album", "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100", "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011", "British single certifications – A1 – Take On Me", "La La Land - The Complete Musical Experience by Various Artists", "Weezer's 'Take On Me' Video Features Calpurnia's Finn Wolfhard as Young Rivers Cuomo: Watch", Headlines and Deadlines: The Hits of A-ha, The Definitive Singles Collection 1984–2004, How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head, MTV Video Music Award for Best Visual Effects, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Take_On_Me&oldid=1005662274, European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles, Song recordings produced by Tony Mansfield, Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) number-one singles, Articles with dead external links from September 2010, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2008, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2020, Singlechart usages for Billboardadultcontemporary, Singlechart usages for Billboarddancesales, Certification Table Entry usages for Belgium, Certification Table Entry usages of salesamount without salesref, Pages using certification Table Entry with sales figures, Certification Table Entry usages for Denmark, Pages using certification Table Entry with streaming figures, Certification Table Entry usages for France, Certification Table Entry usages for Germany, Pages using certification Table Entry with shipments figures, Certification Table Entry usages for Italy, Certification Table Entry usages for Japan, Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom, Pages using certification Table Entry with sales footnote, Pages using certification Table Entry with shipments footnote, Pages using certification Table Entry with streaming footnote, Certification Table Entry usages for Norway, Pages using certification Table Entry without sales, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. US)", "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1985 – Top 100 Pop Singles", "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart", "Danish single certifications – a-ha – Take On Me", "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (a-ha; 'Take On Me')", "Italian single certifications – a-ha – Take On Me", "Japanese single digital certifications – a-ha – テイク・オン・ミー", "Album Review: Why Do They Rock So Hard? However, he then wakes up and tries to break out of his comic-book frames. 97 no. This was certainly intentional as Norwegians are fairly proficient in English. [3][4][5] Initially the band felt the riff was too pop oriented for their band, thus the first version of the song was more "punky" in an attempt to offset the riff. In 2018, Quartz declared it Hollywood's "Song of the Year".[57]. This version of the song is a slower tempo and features a piano and a single acoustic guitar accompanying the voice, without the synths and drums of the original. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. [34] A hidden section in the video game Just Cause 4 renders the game similar to the video, including the song running in the background while the player is in it. I thought, this is unbelievable. And its video won eight awards at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards. In 1998, ska punk band Reel Big Fish covered "Take On Me" for the film BASEketball. The 1985 version was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's debut studio album, Hunting High and Low (1985). An accompanying music video was released on 12 February 2019, in which rock band Calpurnia—led by frontman Finn Wolfhard ("Mike" in the Netflix original series Stranger Things), here, playing a younger version of Weezer's own frontman, Rivers Cuomo star. Our Live Album Is Better than Your Live Album, La La Land: The Complete Musical Experience, "Hunting High and Low - a-ha - Songs, Reviews, Credits", "Chapter 2: The Early Years — Self-confidence, Determination and Lots of Hard Work", "First version from A-ha's Take On Mee recorded in 1981", "The Secret History of a-ha's Smash "Take On Me, "Music Review: East of the Sun, West of the Moon", "Carl Newman Talks Guilty, Nicknames, Routine", "A-ha: Hunting High And Low album details", a-ha - The Making of Take On Me (Episode 1), "A-ha's 'Take On Me': Melody, Vocal Compulsion, and Rotoscoping", "OU on the BBC: Cast And Crew - My Beautiful Laundrette - OpenLearn - Open University", "Video: Volkswagen gets inspired by A-ha's 'Take on Me, "Rocking Literally: The Story Behind "Take on Me," "Head Over Heels" Video Parodies", "Watch Hayley Williams and Co. Run from Large Fruit in "Caught in the Middle" Video :: Music :: News :: Paramore :: Paste", "This Just Cause 4 Easter egg takes on a classic music video", "A-ha Release Remastered 4K Version of Classic 'Take on Me' Video", "A-ha's 'Take On Me' Passes One Billion Streams on YouTube", "A-ha's 'Take on Me' Moves Past One Billion Streams on YouTube", "Music video for 'Take On Me' hits one billion views on YouTube", "As head of MCA Records' in-house music video department, Liz", "British single certifications – a-ha – Take On Me", The Irish Charts – Search Results – Take On Me", "The Indelible Beauty of "Take On Me," Hollywood's Favorite Song of 2018", "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts A", "a-ha Chart History (Adult Contemporary)", "a-ha Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)", "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending October 19, 1985", "a-ha Chart History (Billboard Global Excl. [35], The music video was remastered to 2160p (4K) in 2019 from the original 35mm film and released on YouTube, while retaining its original upload date of January 6, 2010. ONE BILLION VIEWS on February 17, 2020 “Take On Me” has been remastered in stunning 4K resolution - watch it now! His version drops the iconic keyboard riffs and features a new one. A-ha have won 10 Spellemannprisen awards, the Norwegian equivalent of the Grammy Awards. [99][100], The music video was directed by Stuart Gosling. He escapes from the comic book by becoming human and stands up. In the latter, the protagonist Ellie performs an acoustic cover of the song performed by Ashley Johnson. Just a heads up, this song gets a thousand times more emotional if you listen to the acoustic version, Personally, I love Danny (yes homo) sooo NSP mate. The original "Take On Me" was recorded in 1984 and took two versions and three releases to chart in the United Kingdom, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart in October 1985. [6], Soon after, Bridges disbanded. The song has appeared in films such as Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), This Is 40 (2012), Deadpool (2016), A Dog's Purpose (2017), Despicable Me 3 (2017), Teen Titans Go! Mr. Huxley, what's your take on the recent announcement from the White House? Take On Me Ver2 Acoustic Chords by A-Ha. [43] Wide exposure on MTV[41] made the song quickly soar to the top position of the Billboard Hot 100 on 19 October 1985 (its fifteenth week on the chart). [31] Volkswagen created a television advertisement inspired by the video. [28], The second music video was produced by Limelight Productions. The hero punches one of the thugs aside and retreats with the woman into a maze of paper. I thought, how can somebody who looks like a film star sound like Roy Orbison? Learn to play guitar by chord / tabs using chord diagrams, transpose the key, watch video lessons and much more. I … It was released as a-ha’s debut single in September…, A-ha//Kendrick Lamar - Take on Backseat Mash-up, 4 Chords Live At 2009 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Take on Me (The Wild Honey Pie Buzzsession). In Concert! [8][41][42] The group re-recorded the song with the help of producer Alan Tarney,[8][19] releasing the new version in 1985. A new version was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's debut studio album Hunting High and Low (1985). Waaktaar and Furuholmen relocated to London to try their hand in the music industry there, but returned to Norway after six months of disappointment. On 14 August 2020, it was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[48]. The song has featured in television series such as Family Guy (episode "Breaking Out Is Hard to Do", 2005), The Simpsons (episode "Future-Drama", 2005), Chuck (episode "Chuck Versus the Goodbye", 2012), The Carrie Diaries (episode "Identity Crisis", 2013), Raising Hope (episode "Thrilla in Natesvilla", 2014), The Leftovers (episode "G'Day Melbourne", 2017), Ash vs Evil Dead (episode "Booth Three", 2018) and The Magicians (episode "No Better to Be Safe Than Sorry", 2019). What does take it out on expression mean? In 1985, two groundbreaking works of animation could be viewed, sometimes in the same hour, on MTV. The song can also be found on the film's soundtrack. His pencil-drawn hand suddenly reaches out of the comic book, inviting the woman into it. So needless to say Of odds and ends But I'll be stumbling away Slowly learning that life is OK. Say after me, "It's no better to be safe than sorry." Reel Big Fish also included a live version of the song in their live album Our Live Album Is Better than Your Live Album and live DVD's You're All in This Together and Reel Big Fish Live! In 1984, he was the international vice-president for Warner Bros Records America, and their A&R man in London. It then cuts to a scene in a cafe, in which a young woman, played by Bunty Bailey (Harket's girlfriend at the time),[19] is reading the comic book. Billboard vol. The song has received over 1.1 billion views as of August 2020. Arriving at a dead end, he tears a hole in the paper wall so that the woman can escape as the menacing opposing racers close in on him and they raise their pipe wrench to his face. The song was featured in Deadpool 2 in a scene towards the end. Bm E Say after me F#m D … [93] Reel Big Fish released a video clip for "Take On Me", directed by Jeff Moore,[94] and features the band playing the song while walking down an aisle in the stadium, and playing a game of BASEketball interlaced with clips from the film.