Comments | infinitemonkeys: Song of the day #2: Take On Me

infinitemonkeys

Song of the day #2: Take On Me

Oct 09, 2010 01:41

It's hard to believe that this song is 25 years old, though it's lasted remarkably well. Part of that was that it was so damned catchy, but perhaps the larger part was its wonderful video. It's become commonplace to bang on about how videos were much better when we were all knee-high to a grasshopper and the only mobile phones were the size of ( Read more... )

Comments 10

mandysbitch October 9 2010, 01:02:30 UTC

I'm downloading AC Newman's cover. I love TNP and "Take on Me" so it should go well (just had a listen. Very cool).

Also really liked "The Sun Always Shines on TV" even if it didn't have a similarly amazing vid clip.

infinitemonkeys October 9 2010, 23:41:16 UTC

I did too, but my favourite is "I've been losing you", which is the song that should've been a Bond theme

corianderstem October 10 2010, 02:37:15 UTC

Oh my god, I LOVE I've Been Losing You! That whole album is really good. Actually, here's where I come out and admit I was hugely into a-ha for their first three albums.

As a semi-Norwegian teenager, I told everyone in my family about how this awesome band was from Norway! I think my Nana was super impressed. Ha!

Then they faded from my radar, and only recently did I start picking up other of their albums. They had a few duds after the first three, but the past handful have been pretty darned good.

Morten Harket has lost neither his voice nor his good looks as he's aged. Gotta love those Norwegians.

PS: I think The Sun Always Shines On TV is a better song than Take On Me. (Blasphemous!)

predictivememo October 9 2010, 08:48:32 UTC

I also read that article. BBC ftw.

infinitemonkeys October 9 2010, 23:41:50 UTC

YES. TORIES FTL. HANDS OFF THE BBC. (I'm getting in practice for next year)

curiouswombat October 9 2010, 11:09:51 UTC

25 years? OMG that's a scary fact! I have to say it is one of my all time favourite songs.

I have never thought of them as one hit wonders - and I've often wondered why they didn't sue U2 for plagiarism when they brought out their version of the chorus of 'The Sun Always Shines on TV' and called it 'Beautiful Day'.... And I was a big U2 fan back in the day too.

infinitemonkeys October 9 2010, 23:44:27 UTC

I think that musical themes have to be almost identical to succeed in a plagiarism suit.

I once saw a US show about one-hit wonders which included A-Ha but I've really liked a lot of their songs and The Sun Always Shines On TV was No 1, wasn't it?

curiouswombat October 10 2010, 09:24:41 UTC

The Sun Always Shines on TV was a number one, and I think Hunting High and Low might have been too, then more recently Dark is the Night was a top ten hit too. There were probably others that I can't remember so early in the morning(!)

As for 'The Sun etc' and 'Beautiful Day' - just go and listen to them one after the other...

lilydale October 9 2010, 11:31:40 UTC

I judge you strictly for having that greatest hits album! Because it's a really great pop album, and strictly speaking, everybody should have it.

I'm going to have to go get the original of this song now, curse you. I think it's one that got lost in the great Old Computer Death of '01. I do, however, have one cover version that with your versions will make 4 versions I have without having the original. That could be some kind of record.

infinitemonkeys October 9 2010, 23:46:55 UTC

I'd upload it for you but I don't have the proper version either. It's in my CDs but lord knows where that particular one might be. It's such a good song but I wouldn't want to hear it a lot -- I like it when it comes on the radio though.