a-ha, Take on Me | Bangerz N Bopz 🔥

In the 11^th edition of Bangerz N Bopz 🔥 (2024), we highlight “Take on Me” performed by Norwegian synth-pop trio, a-ha.

Bring on the bold, fierce songs! Bangerz N Bopz 🔥 serves up background info and insight into songs of various styles, especially songs that raise eyebrows and/or stir the pot.  Featured records can be classic or brand new. In the 11^th edition of Bangerz N Bopz 🔥 (2024), we break down “Take on Me” performed by a-ha.

“Today’s another day to find you / Shying away / I’ll be comin’ for your love, okay?” OKAY! Norwegian synth-pop trio, a-ha (Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen, and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy), charted on the Billboard Hot 100 thrice.  Their most successful charting song is “Take on Me” which commences their 1985, platinum-certified album,  Hunting High and Low.  “Take on Me” didn’t only chart, it reached no. 1.  While the song itself wasn’t nominated, a-ha received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.  You can bet the collective’s sole top-10 hit is a big reason why they received a nomination.

So, what makes “Take on Me” such a big deal – a 1980s banger? The instrumental plays a sizable role.  It’s that scintillating groove, guitar, and those bright, iconic keyboard/synth lines.  Unsurprisingly, due to the prolific nature of those synths, “Take on Me” has been sampled numerous times. Such an inviting record! The instrumental ear candy, hence, is decadent.  Of course, catchy lyrics, tuneful melodies, and a memorable vocal performance (Harket) also give “Take on Me” the edge. His upper register is insane! “So, needless to say / I’m odds and ends / But I’ll be stumbling away,” Harket sings in second verse, continuing, “Slowly learnin’ that life is okay / Say after me / ‘It’s no better to be safe than sorry.’” Of course, the centerpiece – the main attraction – is the chorus: “Take on me (Take on me) /… I’ll be gone / In a day or two.” Even approaching four decades after its release, “Take on Me” remains utterly fresh!

🎙 a-ha • 💿 Hunting High and Low • 🏷 Warner • 📅 1985

a-ha, Take on Me: Bangerz N Bopz 🔥 No. 11 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Warner; cottonbro studio, Harry Shelton, Kool Shooters, Lucas Pazeta, Mavluda Tashbaeva, Teddy Yang, Wesley Souza from Pexels]