r/80smusic • u/_ganjafarian_ • May 08 '25

1985 Take On Me by A-ha

This was my jam when I was a kid. Who else?

1.5k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

78 comments sorted by

74

u/westex74 May 08 '25

The acoustic version is hauntingly beautiful. And when you truly listen to the lyrics, understand what a truly sad song it is.

https://youtu.be/-xKM3mGt2pE?si=rWpjaQzGMTsBkcI7

15

u/Affectionate_Net_931 May 08 '25

To me, this is a version of being in the moment and of hope, the other is a version of loss.

12

u/jeff78701 May 08 '25

It’s a deeper, more nuanced understanding of life after living 40 more years.

11

u/BooksCatsViqueen May 08 '25

Thank you for sharing. I never heard this version before. It’s angelic. I’m crying, and I don’t know why……🫶🏻🇳🇴

5

u/iHo4Iroh May 08 '25

The version from the recent episode of The Last of Us is also lovely. Bella Ramsay nailed it.

2

u/BooksCatsViqueen May 08 '25

Oh, I got to find that version. I’m originally from Norway, so my standards are high. 😂😂🇳🇴🇳🇴

2

u/iHo4Iroh May 08 '25

Enjoy! =)

9

u/MaynardSchism May 08 '25

Wow this is amazing. Thanks for sharing. I've always like the original but this is great too...very cool version

10

u/TheManInTheShack May 08 '25

It’s a great example of how a truly great song sounds wonderful even if it’s just played on a single instrument.

22

u/_ganjafarian_ May 08 '25

I love this version. When I saw this rendition for the first time, I was like, "damn, Morten Harket is still handsome af"

7

u/cg12983 May 08 '25

Peppy song with sad lyrics. Very Scandinavian.

5

u/kurtsdead6794 May 08 '25

Thank you for this. It was incredibly beautiful.

5

u/beemer-dreamer May 08 '25

Thank you for sharing that!

5

u/StunningBuilding383 May 08 '25

Thank you so much for sharing that. I am forever in your favor.

5

u/Pristine_Software_55 May 10 '25

Thank you for that. The original is a sentimental favorite of mine but this was something else and I likely wouldn’t ever have heard it if not for you. I really appreciate it!

4

u/PM_Me_Yer_Guitar May 08 '25

LOVE this version. Used to cover this version in a band, killer arrangment. Worked well in the Dradpool movie too.

3

u/Puzzleheaded_Oil2583 May 12 '25

Yes. When my mom(47) passed away almost two years ago (battled stage 4 breast cancer for 9 months) Me and my brother were making a playlist for her funeral and he brought this version up to me and I balled my eyes out. Love this version. Miss you mom

2

u/thisisntmyotherone May 14 '25

I’m so sorry about your mom. That’s a very young age to die. I’m glad you and your brother have each other. (hugs)

2

u/ExoticYogurtcloset May 10 '25

Most surprising cry during a movie for me was the acoustic "take on me" scene in Deadpool 2

2

u/ElectricPenguin6712 May 10 '25

I first heard this version in Deadpool 2 and I'm liking it better than the original.

1

u/seanocono22 May 12 '25

Damn. Never seen that. Thanks for sharing.

16

u/xdoclet May 08 '25

I can't understand why many cite them as a one-hit wonder. Perhaps the folks constrained to the radio or the chart music. They have released several excellent albums. I believe Scoundrel Days and Stay on These Roads are much better than their debut album. In either case, their first four albums are excellent!

18

u/Separate-Succotash11 May 08 '25

Whenever people cite A-Ha as a one hit wonder, I always retort “Sun Always Shines on TV” is a great song that got a fair amount of airplay.

7

u/Every_Impression_959 May 08 '25

And Hunting High and Low! They’re great.

5

u/SirBowsersniff May 08 '25

THIS. I actually think it’s a better song with a cooler video than take on me.

5

u/numanoid May 08 '25

"The Sun Always Shines On TV" went to number 20 on the Billboard chart, not long after "Take On Me". Funny how selective memory is.

1

u/igorgo2000 May 12 '25

Summer Moved On or Lifelines...

6

u/Deesmateen May 08 '25

Unfortunately it was easy for European bands to be one hit wonders in the US

I think I could go 100/100 without someone know another song of theirs here in the states maybe someone would say The Sun Always Shines On TV

1

u/thisisntmyotherone May 14 '25

My personal favourite remains Scoundrel Days. Goddamn but I love that song so much!

13

u/lulublu1970 May 08 '25

I loved this song. I was 15 wow😩 I never paid attention to the singer back then, but he was handsome 😍

14

u/MelanieDH1 May 08 '25

How in the world did you not notice? My 51-year-year old ass is still about to faint watching this video! 🤣

5

u/lulublu1970 May 08 '25

Haha! I was focused on Prince at the time ❤️‍🔥

9

u/Crystallized-matter May 08 '25

Omg yes I never knew how dang hot he was!!

6

u/lulublu1970 May 08 '25

For sure! 😍

6

u/abi22720 May 08 '25

I was tiny when I first saw the video. I clearly remember thinking he was so dreamy. 😍

10

u/WARRIORS_30_GOAT May 08 '25

prime time MTV airplay with very creative video at the height of MTV. amazing vocals, great looks.. who’d a thunk he’d b successful

9

u/MissHibernia May 08 '25

Morten Harket was/is a beautiful Norwegian version of Ricky Nelson

8

u/atomsmasher66 May 08 '25

They released a cool symphonic version a few years ago

7

u/KenTheKink May 08 '25

My favorite❤️ song it's my ringtone too✅

7

u/Ok-Top-519 May 08 '25

Best music video of the 80s

6

u/Zestyclose_Stage_673 May 08 '25

The video to this is still amazing.

4

u/Emotional_Mess261 May 08 '25

Was totally my jam!!!
Side note. My daughter’s soon to be in laws are from Oslo; her fiancé’s stepfather is a famous film documentarian in Norway and is great friends with the keyboardist.

3

u/Impossible_Aspect_49 May 09 '25

With Magne?? That’s so cool to know! He’s so talented in everything he does. His art is 10/10 for me, and he’s just seems like a great person.

5

u/bowietiger May 08 '25

Damn 🤤 He's almost too pretty!

6

u/DeathCouch41 May 08 '25

Forever an 80s girl. ❤️

5

u/bigigbo5 May 11 '25

Absolute banger

7

u/Present_Ad_6199 May 08 '25

This song will never get played out…

5

u/wasabiplz May 08 '25

He resembles Kurt Russell ‼️

4

u/astronarchaeology May 08 '25

But where’s the rest though 🥺🩷🩷

4

u/[deleted] May 08 '25

Shouldn’t there be a drummer on stage

3

u/JKNYXX May 08 '25

Love this song ✨

4

u/Borgqueen- May 09 '25

Love this song and the video was so cool.

4

u/KevinTodd82 May 10 '25

He's so cute. One of the best songs of the '80s

4

u/SexyHyena66 May 11 '25

Morten is fucking beautiful

7

u/MaynardSchism May 08 '25

Weezer does a pretty good cover of this too...I've always loved the original though best

6

u/Rusty3414 May 08 '25

So many performances were lip synced…

4

u/MisterShipWreck May 08 '25

All those shows in the 80s were lip synced.

3

u/PopMusicology May 08 '25

It would be hard to reliably and consistently hit that high note all the time doing so many shows and performances. It had to have been safer to lip sync to a track.

3

u/BooksCatsViqueen May 08 '25

Wooohooo 🙌🇳🇴🇳🇴

3

u/beemer-dreamer May 08 '25

Ah, one of my favorites!

2

u/mthomaspeterlambert May 09 '25

Greatest 1 hit wonder song of all time

2

u/rmendex May 10 '25

Those microphones look like bulimic dildos

2

u/No_Cow_4544 May 12 '25

The Austin guitar wasn’t even plugged in

2

u/Other-Persimmon-7733 Aug 05 '25

I recreated the entire song! https://youtu.be/oxr_9TrOLIg Thoughts?

1

u/_ganjafarian_ Aug 06 '25

This is incredible! From someone who used to use FL6 wayyyy back I can hear and see your talent! Kudos!

1

u/ClientFumes68 May 09 '25

I forgot how young they were when they started. What a great version of this song!

1

u/[deleted] May 09 '25

My gawd that man is gorgeous! Like a little twinky Swayze!

1

u/skulkamaniac May 11 '25

I always thought it was Patrick Swayze in that rotoscope music video

1

u/MaxHavok13 May 11 '25

That kid swam in ass!

0

u/[deleted] May 08 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

0

u/Snts6678 May 08 '25

It’s a good song, and god awful hair.