a-ha es una banda noruega de música principalmente new wave, soft rock y pop formada en 1982. El trío está compuesto por Morten Harket, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy y Magne Furuholmen.El origen del nombre de a-ha viene de una canción de la primera época del grupo. Paul comprobó en varios diccionarios que a-ha era una palabra de carácter internacional, corta y de carácter positivo.
Tardaron muy poco en ponerse la meta de ir a Inglaterra para grabar y así, en 1984 lanzaron "Take On Me" (los demos de la canción fueron titulados "Lesson One"). Sin embargo esta versión de la canción no alcanzó popularidad ninguna y el vídeo nunca vio la luz debido al poco impacto y a su "contenido explícito". Así pues, las ventas del primer single apenas llegaron a las 300 copias.
Take On Me.
Sin embargo, una nueva versión de Take On Me fue lanzada en 1985. Esta versión fue la que cautivó a todo el mundo. No sólo la canción era un éxito. Esta versión venía acompañada del increíble video dirigido por Steve Barrons que mezclaba secuencias reales con secuencias animadas estilo cómic. Y definitivamente la canción se convirtió en el mayor éxito del grupo, incluso hoy 22 años después de su lanzamiento. El single logró vender en una semana 1.500.000 copias. La edición 12" del single también incluida Love Is Reason y una versión extendida de Take On Me.
Datos sacados de Wikipedia.
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 your love, OK?
Take on me, take me on
I'll be gone In a day or two
So needless to say
I'm odds and ends
But that's me stumbling away
Slowly learning that life is OK
Say after me
It's no better to be safe than sorry
Take on me, take me on
I'll be gone
In a day or two
Oh the things that you say
Is it life or Just a play my worries away
You're all the things I've got to
remember
You're shying away
I'll be coming for you anyway
Take on me, take me on
I'll be gone
Estos comentarios han sido extraídos de The Swing Of Things, biografía oficial escrita por Jan Omdahl:
"Morten looked like Elvis Presley and had the operatic voice of Roy Orbison" (Jeff Ayeroff, Warner's marketing genius in 1985. Comment from 2005)
"...a-ha are some of the greatest unacknowledged geniuses of pop's past two decades." (The Guardian reviews a-ha's Royal Albert Hall concert in London, 2002)
"As a 12 year old, Hunting High and Low was always in my head, and a-ha still continues to be an important band to me." (Chris Martin, Coldplay)
"Everyone asks us who has inspired Coldplay, who we have stolen from, who we listened to when we grew up. Such questions remind you of what has formed you and had an impact on you. The first bands I loved were a-ha and James." (Chris Martin, Coldplay)
"I was in Amsterdam the other day and I put on the álbum Hunting High and Low. I remembered right there and then how much I loved that álbum. It's just unbelievable songwriting." (Chris Martin, Coldplay, 2005)
"Morten Harket has a fantastic voice and a-ha has been one of our favorite bands for many years. a-ha has a sort of Nordic sound." (Neil Tennant, Pet Shop Boys)
"They are definitely my favourites this summer. Their last CD (Minor Earth, Major Sky) is just fantastic, and how the vocalist sings!" (Sarah Brightman)
"a-ha was always kind of a misunderstood band in my ears. They were perceived as a teenage group for girls, but in reality a very creative band." (Adam Clayton, U2)
"When we heard U2's "Beautiful Day" for the first time, the part where Bono sings "Touch Me", we thought right away that that sounds like a-ha!" (Keane)
"I have always liked the band" (Leonard Cohen)
"That man got pipes." (Carl Perkins commenting on Morten Harket's voice)
"I met a-ha for the first time on Barbados, and got a very positive impression of them. Different personalities that strives together and creates something creative. I stands respect of what they do, and we got a good contact. When I and David Crosby played in Oslo earlier this winter, Morten appeard backstage after the concert. There we began to talk about the possibility of contributing with a little vocal, and now it's done. a-ha is a good band, and the song I did backing on is very good." (Graham Nash of The Hollies / Crosby Stills & Nash, from a 2005 interview. Nash will do some backing vocals on one of a-ha's new songs)
"It was so cool that they were there! a-ha was one of the bands that were really in the spotlight on MTV in the '80s. That's why it was really fun that they participated at Live 8." (Audioslave, 2005)
"I remember Morten Harket from my youth, me and my buddies thought he was cool. I've been aware of their comeback. It's good to see them again, the vocalist continues." (Liam Gallagher, Oasis, January 26, 2006)
"This is one of my absolute favourites of all time (Kanye West, singing "Take on Me", 2006 )
NOTA: Take On Me para mí es una canción totalmente perfecta, yo tenía ocho años cuando esta canción fue lanzada, desde pequeña la música siempre me ha acompañado, quizá influenciada por mi hermana mayor que a todas horas tenía el tocadiscos puesto con "Los Beatles, Janis Joplin, Rolling Stones" e infinidad de música más, hizo que a mí me interesara desde pequeñita la música, hizo quizá también que pidiera en un momento dado una guitarra española y aprendiera a tocarla, hizo quizá que ahora todo tipo de música me llene de sensaciones asociadas, puede ser, a miles de recuerdos y eso me pasa con esta canción, me llena el alma, me hace volar, me hace recordar, me hacen simplemente sentir. Para mí a-ha y sus canciones siempre serán parte de la banda sonora de mi vida.
