Take on Me
Encyclopedia
"Take on Me" is a song by the Norwegian pop
band A-ha
. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Alan Tarney
for the group's first studio album Hunting High and Low
, released in 1985. The song combines synthpop
with a varied instrumentation that includes acoustic guitars
, keyboards
, and drum
s.
The original "Take on Me" was recorded in 1984, and took three releases to chart in the United Kingdom, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart
in November 1985. In the United States the song reached the top position of the Billboard Hot 100
in October 1985, due in no small part to the wide exposure of its memorable and cutting-edge music video
on MTV
, directed by Steve Barron
. The video features the band in a pencil-sketch animation called rotoscoping combined with live-action. The video won six awards, and was nominated for two others at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards
.
and Magne Furuholmen
began their music careers playing in a band called Bridges, together with Viggo Bondi and Øystein Jevanord. In 1981 the band produced Fakkeltog (Torch-light parade), an LP for which all of the music was composed by the group themselves, most of it being written by Waaktaar. Soon after, Bridges disbanded. Waaktaar and Furuholmen relocated to London to try their hand in the music industry there, but after six months of disappointment they returned to Norway. The duo decided to try to get Morten Harket
to join them as lead singer. At the time, Harket was singing in a band called Souldier Blue, but he felt that his band was stagnating, and decided to join Waaktaar and Furuholmen. They stayed together for six months, writing some songs and working on demo tapes
, including "Lesson One," the song that eventually became "Take on Me." In January 1983 the trio returned to London in search of recording a contract.
in London and began calling on record companies and publishing houses. After a few meetings with various A&R
personnel, the band signed with a publishing house called Lionheart. A-ha then returned to Norway to earn some money. When they returned to London, they left Lionheart out of frustration. They decided to record new demos, and chose the studio of musician and producer John Ratcliff, intending to re-record five songs. The band signed with Ratcliff, who in return introduced them to his manager, Terry Slater. With this encouragement, the band managed to complete some songs, including "Take on Me." After a few meetings, Slater signed them with Warner Bros. Records
.
The band met with Tony Mansfield
, an expert in the use of computerized synthesizers, who mixed the demos with electronic instrumentation. The sound was not what A-ha had hoped to achieve, and the album was remixed again. The band rushed to release "Take on Me" as a single in the United Kingdom but failed to make an impact. After this, Warner Brothers' main office in the United States decided to invest in the band, and gave them the opportunity to re-record the song. Terry Slater convinced Alan Tarney
to produce the new version. The song was soon completed and re-released in the United Kingdom, but the record label's office in London gave them little support, and the single flopped for the second time.
In the United States, Warner Brothers put the group on high priority, and made the move to invest serious money in a revolutionary video for "Take on Me" using the version produced by Tarney. The single was released in the United States a month after the music video, and immediately appeared in the Billboard Hot 100.
Magne played the main melody on a Roland Juno-60
"MIDI'd up" to a Yamaha DX7
, but it was a Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 which the entire melody was played on in the final studio edit, along with a Linn LM-1
drum machine. The drum machine used on the second and third releases (rotoscoped video version) was a Linn drum machine - Paul overdubbed real cymbals and hi-hat using this drum machine. Morten sang "Take on Me" using a Neumann U47 microphone as well as a Neve microphone pre-amp and Neve equaliser.
song, written in the key of A major
, and includes instrumentation from acoustic guitars, keyboards
, and synthesizer
s. Like the majority of pop music, the song is set in common time
. It moves at a very quick tempo
of 170 beats per minute. The lyrics are a plea for love, and are constructed in a verse-chorus form
with a bridge
before the third and final chorus. In the song, Harket demonstrates a vocal range
of over two and a half octave
s. He sings the lowest pitch
in the song, A2, at the beginning of the chorus, on the first syllable of the phrase "Take on me." As the chorus progresses, Harket's voice hits ever higher notes, reaching a falsetto
and hitting the song's highest note (E5) at the end (note values specified in this article using scientific pitch notation
). One should also note the temporary change of markings in the drum pattern in the chorus, where for two bars the drums play in half time, only to pick up the same rhythm as before for the climax of the vocal line. A mix of drums, acoustic guitars and electronic instrumentation serves as the song's backing track
.
Two videos were made for the song. 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 second video was directed by Steve Barron
, and filmed at Kim's Café and on a sound stage in London, in 1985. The video used a pencil-sketch animation
/ live-action combination called rotoscoping, in which the live-action footage is traced-over frame by frame to give the characters realistic movements. Approximately 3,000 frames were rotoscoped, which took 16 weeks to complete.
The video's main theme is a romantic fantasy narrative. It begins with a young woman, played by Bunty Bailey
(Harket's girlfriend at the time), drinking coffee and reading a comic book
in a coffee shop. The comic is about motorcycle racing in which the hero played by Morten Harket
is pursued by two opponents. As the girl reads, the waitress brings her the bill. The hero, after winning the race, seemingly winks at the girl from the page. His pencil-drawn hand reaches out of the comic book, inviting the girl into it. Once inside, she too appears in the pencil-drawn form, as he sings to her and introduces her to his black-and-white world.
Meanwhile in the restaurant the waitress returns and believes the girl didn't pay the bill. Angrily, she crumples and throws the girl's comic-book into a trash-bin. This makes the hero's two opposing drivers reappear, armed with a large wrench
and apparently aggressive. Harket punches one of the thugs and retreats with the girl into a maze of paper. Arriving at a dead end, Harket tears a hole in the paper wall so that the girl can escape as he faces the two thugs as one brings the wrench down on him. The girl, now found lying beside the trash-bin to the surprise of restaurant guests and staff, grabs the comic-book from the bin and runs home, where she attempts to smooth out the creases to learn what happens next.
The next panel shows Harket lying seemingly lifeless, and she begins to cry. But he wakes up and attempts to break out of his comic-book frames. At the same time, his image appears in the girl's hallway, seemingly torn between real and comic form as he maintains the effort to break his barriers. He escapes from the comic book by becoming human and stands up. Smiling, the girl walks towards him and he embraces her. This final scene is based on the 1980 movie Altered States
.
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
, Best Special Effects
, and Viewer's Choice—and was nominated for two others, Best Group Video
and Video of the Year
. It was also nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Video at the 13th American Music Awards
in 1986.
, but failed to make an impact in the United Kingdom. The group re-recorded the song with the help of producer Alan Tarney
, releasing the new version in late 1984: this release peaked at number three in Norway but failed to reach audiences abroad.
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 new video was released to dance clubs and television a month before the record was available in stores or played on the radio. Wide exposure on MTV
made the song quickly soar to the top position of the Billboard Hot 100
on 19 October 1985. It remained on the chart for twenty-three weeks, and ended up at the tenth position of the 1985 year-end chart.
"Take on Me" was released for the third time in the United Kingdom in September 1985. The song debuted on the UK Singles Chart
at number fifty-five, peaked at number two for three weeks, and received a gold
certification by the British Phonographic Industry
(BPI). In Norway, A-ha's native country, "Take on Me" reentered the VG-lista
singles chart, reaching a new peak of number one, a year after it was first released. The single was largely successful across the rest of Europe, reaching the top of the Eurochart Hot 100 for nine weeks, topping the singles charts in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland, and reaching the top three in France and Ireland.
(On this record, Pål Waaktaar is miscredited as Päl Waktaar)
|-
|-
|-
band Reel Big Fish
covered "Take on Me" for the film BASEketball
. The song was later released on the BASEketball
soundtrack and the international version of their album Why Do They Rock So Hard?
. The band also performed the song at concerts. Reel Big Fish released a video clip for "Take On Me", directed by Jeff Moore, 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. An alternative video for the song's international release that contained only the stadium aisle footage was also released. 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 Concert!
.
released a cover of "Take on Me" for their second studio album The A List. Despite being panned by music critics, who called it a "lame cover version", and a "note for note copy" that seems like "a re-release of the original"; it was commercially successful, topping the charts in the United Kingdom and Norway, where it was certified silver by the BPI.
glasses after finding out about a deadly computer virus
. After flying for a distance, they find the virus and destroy it, saving the world. The video was inspired by the 1982 science fiction
film TRON
.
(1 week)
(3 weeks)
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
band A-ha
A-ha
A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Alan Tarney
Alan Tarney
Alan Tarney is an English songwriter, record producer and bass guitarist. He was born in Workington, Cumberland, England, but spent his teenage years in Adelaide, Australia where he met his songwriting and musical partner Trevor Spencer.- Career :Tarney was part of the huge influx of British...
for the group's first studio album Hunting High and Low
Hunting High and Low
Hunting High and Low is the debut album by Norwegian new wave band A-ha. Released on 1 June 1985 through Warner Bros. Records, the album was a huge commercial success selling more than 10 million units worldwide, peaking at #15 in the United States Billboard 200 and reaching high positions on...
, released in 1985. The song combines synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
with a varied instrumentation that includes acoustic guitars
Steel-string acoustic guitar
A steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound...
, keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, and drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s.
The original "Take on Me" was recorded in 1984, and took three releases to chart in the United Kingdom, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in November 1985. In the United States the song reached the top position of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in October 1985, due in no small part to the wide exposure of its memorable and cutting-edge music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, directed by Steve Barron
Steve Barron
Steven "Steve" Barron is a director and producer, best known for directing the films Coneheads , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the innovative music videos for a-ha's "Take on Me" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean"....
. The video features the band in a pencil-sketch animation called rotoscoping combined with live-action. The video won six awards, and was nominated for two others at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards
1986 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1986 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 5, 1986, honoring the best music videos from May 2, 1985, to May 1, 1986. The show was hosted by MTV VJs Downtown Julie Brown, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, and Dweezil Zappa, and it emanated primarily from both The Palladium in New...
.
Background
Pål WaaktaarPaul Waaktaar-Savoy
Paul Waaktaar-Savoy is a Norwegian musician and songwriter. He is best known for his work as guitarist in the Norwegian pop band A-ha...
and Magne Furuholmen
Magne Furuholmen
Magne 'Mags' Furuholmen is a Norwegian musician. He is best known as the guitarist and keyboardist of the pop band A-ha.-A-ha:Furuholmen has been the keyboardist with A-ha since their formation in 1982, though he also plays guitar...
began their music careers playing in a band called Bridges, together with Viggo Bondi and Øystein Jevanord. In 1981 the band produced Fakkeltog (Torch-light parade), an LP for which all of the music was composed by the group themselves, most of it being written by Waaktaar. Soon after, Bridges disbanded. Waaktaar and Furuholmen relocated to London to try their hand in the music industry there, but after six months of disappointment they returned to Norway. The duo decided to try to get Morten Harket
Morten Harket
Morten Harket is a Norwegian musician, best known as the lead singer of the Norwegian synthpop/rock band A-ha, which released nine studio albums and topped the charts in several countries after their breakthrough hit "Take on Me" in 1985. A-ha disbanded in 2010. Harket has also released four solo...
to join them as lead singer. At the time, Harket was singing in a band called Souldier Blue, but he felt that his band was stagnating, and decided to join Waaktaar and Furuholmen. They stayed together for six months, writing some songs and working on demo tapes
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
, including "Lesson One," the song that eventually became "Take on Me." In January 1983 the trio returned to London in search of recording a contract.
Recording and production
The band moved into a flatApartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
in London and began calling on record companies and publishing houses. After a few meetings with various A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
personnel, the band signed with a publishing house called Lionheart. A-ha then returned to Norway to earn some money. When they returned to London, they left Lionheart out of frustration. They decided to record new demos, and chose the studio of musician and producer John Ratcliff, intending to re-record five songs. The band signed with Ratcliff, who in return introduced them to his manager, Terry Slater. With this encouragement, the band managed to complete some songs, including "Take on Me." After a few meetings, Slater signed them with Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
.
The band met with Tony Mansfield
Tony Mansfield
Tony Mansfield, born May 28, 1943, Salford, England, is an English songwriter, musician and record producer. Mansfield was the main songwriter/producer for New Musik, a synthpop band that performed from 1979 to 1982.-References:...
, an expert in the use of computerized synthesizers, who mixed the demos with electronic instrumentation. The sound was not what A-ha had hoped to achieve, and the album was remixed again. The band rushed to release "Take on Me" as a single in the United Kingdom but failed to make an impact. After this, Warner Brothers' main office in the United States decided to invest in the band, and gave them the opportunity to re-record the song. Terry Slater convinced Alan Tarney
Alan Tarney
Alan Tarney is an English songwriter, record producer and bass guitarist. He was born in Workington, Cumberland, England, but spent his teenage years in Adelaide, Australia where he met his songwriting and musical partner Trevor Spencer.- Career :Tarney was part of the huge influx of British...
to produce the new version. The song was soon completed and re-released in the United Kingdom, but the record label's office in London gave them little support, and the single flopped for the second time.
In the United States, Warner Brothers put the group on high priority, and made the move to invest serious money in a revolutionary video for "Take on Me" using the version produced by Tarney. The single was released in the United States a month after the music video, and immediately appeared in the Billboard Hot 100.
Magne played the main melody on a Roland Juno-60
Roland Juno-60
The Roland Juno-60 is a popular analogue 61-key polyphonic synthesizer produced by Roland Corporation in the early 1980s and a successor to the slightly earlier Juno-6. Like its predecessor, the Juno-60 has some digital enhancements, used only for clocking the oscillators and for saving and loading...
"MIDI'd up" to a Yamaha DX7
Yamaha DX7
The Yamaha DX7 is an FM Digital Synthesizer manufactured by the Yamaha Corporation from 1983 to 1986. It was the first commercially successful digital synthesizer. Its distinctive sound can be heard on many recordings, especially Pop music from the 1980s...
, but it was a Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 which the entire melody was played on in the final studio edit, along with a Linn LM-1
Linn LM-1
The LM-1 Drum Computer, manufactured by Linn Electronics Inc., was the first drum machine to use digital samples of acoustic drums. Conceived and designed by Roger Linn, it was also one of the first programmable drum machines...
drum machine. The drum machine used on the second and third releases (rotoscoped video version) was a Linn drum machine - Paul overdubbed real cymbals and hi-hat using this drum machine. Morten sang "Take on Me" using a Neumann U47 microphone as well as a Neve microphone pre-amp and Neve equaliser.
Composition
"Take on Me" is a synthpopSynthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
song, written in the key of A major
A major
A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor...
, and includes instrumentation from acoustic guitars, keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, and synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s. Like the majority of pop music, the song is set in common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
. It moves at a very quick tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 170 beats per minute. The lyrics are a plea for love, and are constructed in a verse-chorus form
Verse-chorus form
Verse-chorus form is a musical form common in popular music and predominant in rock since the 1960s. In contrast to AABA form, which is focused on the verse , in verse-chorus form the chorus is highlighted...
with a bridge
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
before the third and final chorus. In the song, Harket demonstrates a vocal range
Vocal range
Vocal range is the measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate. Although the study of vocal range has little practical application in terms of speech, it is a topic of study within linguistics, phonetics, and speech and language pathology, particularly in relation to the study...
of over two and a half octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
s. He sings the lowest pitch
Pitch (music)
Pitch is an auditory perceptual property that allows the ordering of sounds on a frequency-related scale.Pitches are compared as "higher" and "lower" in the sense associated with musical melodies,...
in the song, A2, at the beginning of the chorus, on the first syllable of the phrase "Take on me." As the chorus progresses, Harket's voice hits ever higher notes, reaching a falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
and hitting the song's highest note (E5) at the end (note values specified in this article using scientific pitch notation
Scientific pitch notation
Scientific pitch notation is one of several methods that name the notes of the standard Western chromatic scale by combining a letter-name, accidentals, and a number identifying the pitch's octave...
). One should also note the temporary change of markings in the drum pattern in the chorus, where for two bars the drums play in half time, only to pick up the same rhythm as before for the climax of the vocal line. A mix of drums, acoustic guitars and electronic instrumentation serves as the song's backing track
Backing track
A backing track is an audio or MIDI recording that musicians play or sing along to in order to add parts to their music which would be impractical to perform live.-Uses:...
.
Music video
The second video was directed by Steve Barron
Steve Barron
Steven "Steve" Barron is a director and producer, best known for directing the films Coneheads , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the innovative music videos for a-ha's "Take on Me" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean"....
, and filmed at Kim's Café and on a sound stage in London, in 1985. The video used a pencil-sketch animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
/ live-action combination called rotoscoping, in which the live-action footage is traced-over frame by frame to give the characters realistic movements. Approximately 3,000 frames were rotoscoped, which took 16 weeks to complete.
The video's main theme is a romantic fantasy narrative. It begins with a young woman, played by Bunty Bailey
Bunty Bailey
Therese "Bunty" Bailey is an English model, dancer, and actress. Bunty started her career as a dancer in the erotic dance group Hot Gossip in the early 1980s...
(Harket's girlfriend at the time), drinking coffee and reading a comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
in a coffee shop. The comic is about motorcycle racing in which the hero played by Morten Harket
Morten Harket
Morten Harket is a Norwegian musician, best known as the lead singer of the Norwegian synthpop/rock band A-ha, which released nine studio albums and topped the charts in several countries after their breakthrough hit "Take on Me" in 1985. A-ha disbanded in 2010. Harket has also released four solo...
is pursued by two opponents. As the girl reads, the waitress brings her the bill. The hero, after winning the race, seemingly winks at the girl from the page. His pencil-drawn hand reaches out of the comic book, inviting the girl into it. Once inside, she too appears in the pencil-drawn form, as he sings to her and introduces her to his black-and-white world.
Meanwhile in the restaurant the waitress returns and believes the girl didn't pay the bill. Angrily, she crumples and throws the girl's comic-book into a trash-bin. This makes the hero's two opposing drivers reappear, armed with a large wrench
Pipe wrench
The pipe wrench is an adjustable wrench used for turning soft iron pipes and fittings with a rounded surface. The design of the adjustable jaw allows it to rock in the frame, such that any forward pressure on the handle tends to pull the jaws tighter together. Teeth angled in the direction of turn...
and apparently aggressive. Harket punches one of the thugs and retreats with the girl into a maze of paper. Arriving at a dead end, Harket tears a hole in the paper wall so that the girl can escape as he faces the two thugs as one brings the wrench down on him. The girl, now found lying beside the trash-bin to the surprise of restaurant guests and staff, grabs the comic-book from the bin and runs home, where she attempts to smooth out the creases to learn what happens next.
The next panel shows Harket lying seemingly lifeless, and she begins to cry. But he wakes up and attempts to break out of his comic-book frames. At the same time, his image appears in the girl's hallway, seemingly torn between real and comic form as he maintains the effort to break his barriers. He escapes from the comic book by becoming human and stands up. Smiling, the girl walks towards him and he embraces her. This final scene is based on the 1980 movie Altered States
Altered States
Altered States is a 1980 American science fiction-horror film adaptation of a novel by the same name by playwright and screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky. It was the only novel that Chayefsky ever wrote, as well as his final film. Both the novel and the film are based on John C...
.
At the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards
1986 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1986 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 5, 1986, honoring the best music videos from May 2, 1985, to May 1, 1986. The show was hosted by MTV VJs Downtown Julie Brown, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, and Dweezil Zappa, and it emanated primarily from both The Palladium in New...
, the video for "Take on Me" won six awards—Best New Artist in a Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist
The MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist is one of the four original general categories that have been given out since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984...
, Best Concept Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Concept Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Concept Video was first given out in 1984, awarding the best videos that involved the conceptual interpretation of a song. As the years went on, however, the majority of videos aired on MTV became concept videos, and so the need for this category diminished. ...
, Most Experimental Video
MTV Video Music Award for Most Experimental Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Most Experimental Video was first awarded in 1984. The last of this award was given out in 1987, after which it was replaced with Breakthrough Video the following year....
, Best Direction
MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Direction in a Video. In 2007, the award was briefly renamed Best Director, but it returned to its original name for the 2008 awards....
, Best Special Effects
MTV Video Music Award for Best Special Effects
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Special Effects in a Video....
, and Viewer's Choice—and was nominated for two others, Best Group Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video was first given out at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards; and in 2007, going along with how the VMAs were revamped that year, the award was renamed Best Group, as it awarded the artist's body of work for the full year rather than a specific video...
and Video of the Year
MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year
The MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year is the main award handed out at the yearly MTV Video Music Awards. It was first awarded in , when The Cars won it, and has been given out since. Eminem has been the most nominated solo artist, male solo artist, and act in this category, having been...
. It was also nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Video at the 13th American Music Awards
American Music Awards of 1986
The 13th Annual American Music Awards were held on January 27, 1986.-Pop/Rock Category:-Soul/R&B Category:-Country Category:...
in 1986.
- Director: Steve BarronSteve BarronSteven "Steve" Barron is a director and producer, best known for directing the films Coneheads , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the innovative music videos for a-ha's "Take on Me" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean"....
- Production Company: Limelight Productions, London
- Producer: Simon Fields
- Cinematographer: Oliver StapletonOliver StapletonOliver Stapleton, B.S.C. is an English cinematographer.-Life and career:He graduated from the University of Cape Town in 1970 with a degree in psychology and from the National Film and Television School UK while working in South Africa and England.One of his first efforts was the student film...
- Editor: Richard Simpson @ Rushes Film Editing, London
- Animation: Michael PattersonMichael PattersonMichael Patterson is an experimental film artist, teacher, and a commercial film director specializing in TV spots and music videos. He currently teaches animation at the Division of Animation and Digital Arts at the USC School of Cinematic Arts...
& Candace Reckinger
Chart performance
"Take on Me" was originally released in 1984, and was mixed by Tony MansfieldTony Mansfield
Tony Mansfield, born May 28, 1943, Salford, England, is an English songwriter, musician and record producer. Mansfield was the main songwriter/producer for New Musik, a synthpop band that performed from 1979 to 1982.-References:...
, but failed to make an impact in the United Kingdom. The group re-recorded the song with the help of producer Alan Tarney
Alan Tarney
Alan Tarney is an English songwriter, record producer and bass guitarist. He was born in Workington, Cumberland, England, but spent his teenage years in Adelaide, Australia where he met his songwriting and musical partner Trevor Spencer.- Career :Tarney was part of the huge influx of British...
, releasing the new version in late 1984: this release peaked at number three in Norway but failed to reach audiences abroad.
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 new video was released to dance clubs and television a month before the record was available in stores or played on the radio. Wide exposure on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
made the song quickly soar to the top position of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
on 19 October 1985. It remained on the chart for twenty-three weeks, and ended up at the tenth position of the 1985 year-end chart.
"Take on Me" was released for the third time in the United Kingdom in September 1985. The song debuted on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at number fifty-five, peaked at number two for three weeks, and received a gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
certification by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
(BPI). In Norway, A-ha's native country, "Take on Me" reentered the VG-lista
VG-lista
VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by...
singles chart, reaching a new peak of number one, a year after it was first released. The single was largely successful across the rest of Europe, reaching the top of the Eurochart Hot 100 for nine weeks, topping the singles charts in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland, and reaching the top three in France and Ireland.
Formats and track listing
- 7" Original single (1984)
- "Take on Me" (Original version) – 3:10
- "And You Tell Me" – 1:48
- 12" Original single (1984)
- "Take on Me" (Long version) – 3:44
- "And You Tell Me" – 1:48
- "Stop! And Make Your Mind Up" – 2:57 (Pål Waaktaar)
(On this record, Pål Waaktaar is miscredited as Päl Waktaar)
- 7" Single (1985)
- "Take on Me" – 3:46
- "Love Is Reason" – 3:04
- 7" Single (1985)
- "Take on Me" (LP version) – 3:46
- "The Sun Always Shines on TV" (LP version) – 4:30
- 12" Maxi-Single (1985)
- "Take on Me" (Extended version) – 4:45
- "Love Is Reason" (LP version) – 3:01
- "Take on Me" (Single version) – 3:31
Personnel
- Morten HarketMorten HarketMorten Harket is a Norwegian musician, best known as the lead singer of the Norwegian synthpop/rock band A-ha, which released nine studio albums and topped the charts in several countries after their breakthrough hit "Take on Me" in 1985. A-ha disbanded in 2010. Harket has also released four solo...
– leadLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Magne FuruholmenMagne FuruholmenMagne 'Mags' Furuholmen is a Norwegian musician. He is best known as the guitarist and keyboardist of the pop band A-ha.-A-ha:Furuholmen has been the keyboardist with A-ha since their formation in 1982, though he also plays guitar...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals - Pål WaaktaarPaul Waaktaar-SavoyPaul Waaktaar-Savoy is a Norwegian musician and songwriter. He is best known for his work as guitarist in the Norwegian pop band A-ha...
– guitarGuitaristA guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, vocals - Neill KingNeill KingNeill King is a record producer and recording engineer. He studied classical music and trumpet on leaving Wimbledon College, then trained as a recording engineer at Eden Studios, Chiswick, London, before working throughout the UK and Europe with artists such as Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Madness,...
– engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - Alan TarneyAlan TarneyAlan Tarney is an English songwriter, record producer and bass guitarist. He was born in Workington, Cumberland, England, but spent his teenage years in Adelaide, Australia where he met his songwriting and musical partner Trevor Spencer.- Career :Tarney was part of the huge influx of British...
– productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Chart positions
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Norwegian Singles Chart (original release) | 3 |
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
| Australian Kent Music Report Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... |
1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
1 |
| Belgian VRT Top 30 VRT Top 30 The VRT Top 30 or Radio 2 Top 30 is a Belgian record chart that runs on the VRT, more specifically on Radio 2. The list is the new version of the old BRT Top 30, that changed along with the media group's name in 1992.... |
1 |
| Canadian RPM Singles Chart RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
2 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
1 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
3 |
| German Singles Chart | 1 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
2 |
| Italian Singles Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
1 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
7 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart (re-release) | 1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | 4 |
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification | Sales/shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... |
Gold | 250,000+ |
| United Kingdom | BPI British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Gold | 500,000+ |
|-
|-
|-
Reel Big Fish version
In 1999, ska punkSka punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
band Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band...
covered "Take on Me" for the film BASEketball
BASEketball
BASEketball is a 1998 American David Zucker comedy starring South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with Dian Bachar, Robert Vaughn, Ernest Borgnine, Yasmine Bleeth, and Jenny McCarthy...
. The song was later released on the BASEketball
BASEketball (soundtrack)
-Track listing:#Reel Big Fish: "Take on Me" – 3:02#Nerf Herder: "Don't Hate Me " – 2:46#Deep Blue Something: "Tonight" – 3:42#Supersuckers: "Psyched Out" – 2:52#Plastiscene: "Lemon Yellow" – 4:09...
soundtrack and the international version of their album Why Do They Rock So Hard?
Why Do They Rock So Hard?
Why Do They Rock So Hard? is the third full-length release by the ska punk band Reel Big Fish.This is the first, and so far only Reel Big Fish studio album where the band line-up has not changed from the previous album....
. The band also performed the song at concerts. Reel Big Fish released a video clip for "Take On Me", directed by Jeff Moore, 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. An alternative video for the song's international release that contained only the stadium aisle footage was also released. Reel Big Fish also included a live version of the song in their live album Our Live Album Is Better than Your Live Album
Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album
Our Live Album Is Better than Your Live Album is a 2-disc live album by ska-punk band Reel Big Fish composed of both an extended length Reel Big Fish live set list, and a DVD of a March 2006 live show that also includes documentary footage on the band. The DVD portion was directed by Jonathan...
and live DVD's You're All In This Together
You're All In This Together
You're All In This Together is the name of a DVD recorded by Reel Big Fish at "The Alley" in California sometime in March, 2006. The DVD is sold with Reel Big Fish's live album Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album and became available for purchase off iTunes on July 18, 2006. It became...
and Reel Big Fish Live! In Concert!
Reel Big Fish Live! In Concert!
Reel Big Fish Live! In Concert! is the name of Reel Big Fish's third DVD recorded at The Grove of Anaheim in California on January 4th, 2009. The DVD became available for sale on July 21, 2009.-Tracklist:# "Sell Out"# "Another F.U...
.
Track listing
- CD Single
- "Take on Me" – 3:02
- "Alternative Baby" – 2:56
- "Why Do All the Girls Think They're Fat?" – 2:22
Personnel
- Aaron BarrettAaron BarrettAaron Asher Barrett is the lead singer, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter for the band Reel Big Fish. Prior to forming with Reel Big Fish, Barrett played trombone in another ska-punk act, The Scholars, along with future Reel Big Fish bandmates Scott Klopfenstein and Grant Barry...
– celestaCelestaThe celesta or celeste is a struck idiophone operated by a keyboard. Its appearance is similar to that of an upright piano or of a large wooden music box . The keys are connected to hammers which strike a graduated set of metal plates suspended over wooden resonators...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, lead vocals, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones... - Grant BarryGrant BarryGrant Barry, from Seal Beach California, is the former trombone player of Reel Big Fish. Before he was in Reel Big Fish he was in The Scholars with Scott Klopfenstein and Aaron Barrett. He can be heard on the albums Turn The Radio Off and Why Do They Rock So Hard?, having joined the band prior to...
– tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate... - Andrew Gonzales – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Scott KlopfensteinScott KlopfensteinScott Allen "Scotty" Klopfenstein is an American musician and a former member of the band Reel Big Fish. He plays trumpet, guitar, keyboard, and sings....
– celesta, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, vocals - Dan ReganDan ReganDan Regan is the trombone player for the Southern California-based ska punk band Reel Big Fish. Regan has also played trombone in The Littlest Man Band with Scott Klopfenstein and currently has a hip-hop side project under the alias Black Casper.- External links :...
– screams, trombone - Tavis Werts – flügelhornFlugelhornThe flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
, trumpet - Matt WongMatt WongMatthew Wong, is a bassist and one of the founding members of the California-based ska punk band, Reel Big Fish...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals
A1 version
In August 2000, British-Norwegian boyband A1A1 (band)
A1 are a British-Norwegian boyband. They were originally made up of Mark Read, Ben Adams, Christian Ingebrigtsen and Paul Marazzi. Their first single, "Be the First to Believe", entered the UK singles chart at #6 in early 1999. They had a huge amount of success worldwide and charts with two number...
released a cover of "Take on Me" for their second studio album The A List. Despite being panned by music critics, who called it a "lame cover version", and a "note for note copy" that seems like "a re-release of the original"; it was commercially successful, topping the charts in the United Kingdom and Norway, where it was certified silver by the BPI.
Music video
The cover's music video was directed by Stuart Gosling. It features A1 entering the computer world by putting on virtual realityVirtual reality
Virtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
glasses after finding out about a deadly computer virus
Computer virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...
. After flying for a distance, they find the virus and destroy it, saving the world. The video was inspired by the 1982 science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
film TRON
Tron (film)
Tron is a 1982 American science fiction film written and directed by Steven Lisberger, and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It stars Jeff Bridges as the protagonist Kevin Flynn; Bruce Boxleitner in a dual role as security program Tron and Tron's "User", computer programmer Alan Bradley; Cindy...
.
Formats and track listings
- CD, Maxi-Single, Enhanced, CD1
- "Take on Me" – 3:31
- "Beatles Medley (I Feel Fine / She Loves You)" – 3:20
- "I Got Sunshine" – 3:41
- CD, Maxi-Single, Enhanced, Limited Edition, CD2
- "Take on Me" (U.K. 2K Mix) – 3:25
- "Take on Me" (Metro Extended Club Mix) – 6:02
- "Take on Me" (D-Bop Saturday Night Mix) – 7:52
Charts
| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
46 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 2 |
| Dutch Mega Single Top 100 Mega Single Top 100 The Single Top 100 is a Dutch chart, based on official physical single sales and legal downloads and composed by MegaCharts. It is one of the three official charts, the other two being the Dutch Top 40 and the Mega Top 50. The difference is that these charts also include airplay data.The list is... |
47 |
| German Singles Chart | 61 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
12 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 9 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
1 |
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification | Sales/shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... |
Gold | 5,000+ |
| United Kingdom | BPI British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Silver | 200,000+ |
(1 week)
(3 weeks)
Other cover versions
Despite being notoriously difficult to sing, the song has inspired many cover versions, including the following:- American band Cap'n JazzCap'n JazzCap'n Jazz was an emo band formed in Chicago in 1989 by brothers Tim and Mike Kinsella, who were joined by Sam Zurick and Victor Villareal. After a number of name changes and the addition of guitarist Davey von Bohlen the band began to earn a cult following in the Chicago area and the...
cover the song for their two-disc set AnalphabetapolothologyAnalphabetapolothologyAnalphabetapolothology is an anthology album by Cap'n Jazz released in 1998 on Jade Tree Records. It catalogues almost every song recorded and released by the band during their time together. Notable absences include the early single "Naive."...
. - German eurodanceEurodanceEurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
duo Captain JackCaptain Jack (band)Captain Jack is a musical duo, specializing in Eurodance music, originating from Germany.- History :Its members were Francisco Alejandro Gutierrez , and Sunny...
covered the song for their first album The Mission. - Belgian punkPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Janez Detd.Janez Detd.Janez Detd. is a Belgian pop punk band that formed in 1995.The group saw the light of day in and about 1994, and was first baptized as "Jane's Detd." , with from the start Nikolas "Bones" Vanderveken & Bob as the most founding members...
covered the song for their first major label release "Janez Detd." (2000). - A cover recording was used in the episode "AsspenAsspen"Asspen" is the second episode of the sixth season of the Comedy Central series South Park. It originally aired on March 13, 2002. It parodies several sports movies of the 1980s.-Plot:...
" (2002) of the TV series South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
. - German rock band Emil BullsEmil BullsEmil Bulls is a German alternative metal band that was formed in 1995 in Munich, Bavaria. The group currently consists of two guitarists, a bass guitar player, a drummer and a vocalist/guitarist.-History:...
covered the song for their studio album Angel Delivery ServiceAngel Delivery ServiceAngel Delivery Service is the major label debut by the German band Emil Bulls. It was released on June 4, 2001 and produced, as would their next record be, by Wolfgang Stach.-Track listing:...
. - American duo Letters Lost released a version of the song on its album You Are My Biggest Fan.
- Spanish folk metalFolk metalFolk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
band Mägo de OzMägo de OzMägo de Oz is a Spanish folk/heavy metal band from Begoña, Madrid formed in mid-1988 by drummer Txus di Fellatio. In 1992, the band were finalists in the Villa de Madrid contest. Then, they went onto achieve great success in Spain, and in 1995, were declared Revolution Rock Band...
made a cover of the song, which was included in their compilation album The Best Oz. - Argentinian electro pop band Miranda!Miranda!Miranda! is an Argentine electro pop band formed in 2001. Band members include Alejandro Sergi , Juliana Gattas , Lolo Fuentes , Bruno de Vincenti , and since 2003, Nicolás Grimaldi...
included a cover of the song in their 2005 live album En Vivo Sin Restricciones. - Christian pop punkPop punkPop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
band MxPxMxPxMxPx is a pop punk band from Bremerton, Washington with connections to the Christian punk scene. The band has recorded eight studio albums, four EPs, four compilation albums, a live album, a VHS tape, a DVD and released 20 singles....
included this song on their album of covers, On the CoverOn the CoverOn the Cover is an EP of song covers by the American pop punk band MxPx, released on November 28, 1995 . Two different editions were released: a CD with 8 tracks, and a double 10" vinyl record with 12 tracks...
. - Finnish symphonic metalSymphonic metalSymphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...
cover group Northern KingsNorthern KingsNorthern Kings is a Finnish symphonic metal cover supergroup, made up of four musicians who have already become well known in their existing bands: Jarkko Ahola from Teräsbetoni, ex-Dreamtale, Marco Hietala from Nightwish and Tarot, Tony Kakko from Sonata Arctica and Juha-Pekka Leppäluoto from...
remade the song, for their album, RethronedRethronedRethroned is the second album by Finnish symphonic metal band Northern Kings. It was released on November 19, 2008, as a CD in Finland and to download via the European iTunes Store. Upon release, the album entered the Finnish charts at number 16. The album was released in Japan on February 25,...
. - Italian progressiveProgressive metalProgressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
power metalPower metalPower metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
Vision DivineVision DivineVision Divine is a progressive power metal band formed in Italy in 1998.-History:Originally a solo project from Olaf Thörsen...
has covered the song in their album Send Me an Angel. - Japanese American singer Hikaru Utada covered the song on her Bohemian Summer 2000 Tour: it was released on the Bohemian Summer 2000 DVD.
- Dustin McLean's literal versionLiteral music videoA literal music video, also called a literal video version, is a parody of an official music video clip in which the lyrics have been replaced with lyrics that describe the visuals in the video....
cover of "Take on Me" was the first-known example of the "literal music video" meme. - American R&B duo Zo! and Tigallo (PhontePhontePhonte Coleman, better known as Phonte, is a Grammy nominated American rapper, formerly of the now defunct North Carolina trio Little Brother and one-half of the duo The Foreign Exchange. He has also recorded R&B-flavored output as a singer...
, formerly of Little Brother) recorded a cover of "Take On Me" for their EP entitled "Zo! & Tigallo Love the 80's". - Latvian instrumentalInstrumentalAn instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
cello rockCello rockCello rock and cello metal are subgenres of rock music and heavy metal characterized by the use of cellos as primary instruments, alongside or in place of more traditional rock instruments such as electric guitars, electric bass guitar, and drum set.Cellos, often in groups of three or more, are...
trio Melo-MMelo-MMelo-M is a Latvian instrumental cello rock trio consisting of three classically trained cellists: Kārlis Auzāns, Valters Pūce, and Antons Trocjuks...
included a cover version in their 2007 album SingalongsSingalongs (Melo-M album)Singalongs is the second studio album released by Latvian instrumental cello rock trio Melo-M. The album is produced by trio member Kārlis Auzāns and recorded 2007 at Chellout Studios in Riga, Latvia...
. - GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Graziella Schazad has released in August 2010 cover of this song. - South Korean pop singer Seo In Gook covered and released the song on 22 November 2010 in South Korea as a single. The verses of the song were re-written into Korean while the chorus kept the original English lyrics. The song was re-titled as "Take".
- Christian Pop punkPop punkPop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
band EleventysevenEleventysevenEleventyseven is an American electro rock band from Greenville, South Carolina which was formed in 2002. They chose the name "Eleventyseven" because "it's the one that looked cool the next morning". The band is currently signed to Sony Japan. It previously released two albums on Flicker Records...
covered the song and released it as a single, and then released it on their 2011 EP "Quota". - Spanish artist Anni B SweetAnni B SweetAnni B Sweet is the stage name of Ana López Rodríguez , indie and folk singer-songwriter.López has been composing songs since the age of seven and in her teenage years performed in a number of bands with her friends. In 2007 Anni started to perform as a solo artist and word of her spread amongst...
made an acoustic cover version of the song in 2009. - Spanish surf rock band Los Tiki Phantoms included an instrumental cover renamed "Tiki On Me" on their 2007 EP Se Van De Marcha.
- The New PornographersThe New PornographersThe New Pornographers is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:The band's first four albums each ranked in the top 40 on The Village Voices Pazz & Jop year-end poll of hundreds of music reviewers. From 2000 to 2006, either a New Pornographers' album or a...
member Carl NewmanCarl NewmanAllan Carl Newman is a Canadian musician and songwriter. He was a member of the indie rock bands Superconductor and Zumpano in the 1990s. Following the breakup of those bands, he reemerged as the leader of The New Pornographers in 2000....
recorded a cover of the song on the 2009 StarbucksStarbucksStarbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
-sponsored compliation album "Sweetheart: Our Favorite Artists Sing Their Favorite Love Songs" - French band Crumble Lane covered a punk rock version of the song on their 3rd album "Six Years A Wink" in 2007
- A GEICO commercial features the song being played by a dog with a sythesizer and a singing cockatooCockatooA cockatoo is any of the 21 species belonging to the bird family Cacatuidae. Along with the Psittacidae and the Strigopidae , they make up the parrot order Psittaciformes . Placement of the cockatoos as a separate family is fairly undisputed, although many aspects of the other living lineages of...
.
External links
- A GEICO commercial features the song being played by a dog with a sythesizer and a singing cockatoo