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[TAKE ON ME]{1} Written by: Magne "Mags" Furuholmen, Morten Harket & Pål "Paul" Waaktaar{2} Produced by: Alan Tarney Engineered by: Neil King Performed by: a-ha{3}{4} First released:{5} Single: 1985 [Length: 3:48] Album: June 1, 1985 [Length: 3:48]

{1}"Take on Me" was originally released in the United Kingdom early in 1984. This version was mixed by Tony Mansfield, but failed to make an impact in the England. The group re-recorded the song with the help of producer Alan Tarney, releasing it in the U.K. for the second time in late 1984. Again it didn't do that well with audiences in the U.K., but it did peak at #3 in Norway, a-ha's native country.

Two videos were made for the song. The first release, in 1984, included the Mansfield version of the recording. It shows the band singing with a blue background. The second video, directed by Steve Barron, and using Tarney's version of the song, was filmed at Kim's Café in London and on a sound stage, in 1985. A new technique called rotoscoping was used to create the look of the second video. Rotoscoping gives the characters realistic movements but a cartoon-like look. Live-action footage must be tediously traced-over, frame by frame, with pencils.

In the United States, Warner Brothers Recordings invested in the revolutionary second video and the new video was released to dance clubs and television in September of 1985, a month before the record was available in stores or played on the radio. By the time the single was available in for purchase, wide exposure of the video on MTV caused the recording to quickly soar to the top position of the U.S. [Billboard Hot 100 Chart]. It remained on the chart for twenty-three weeks, and ended up at the tenth position of the 1985 year-end chart.

For the third time, in September of 1985, "Take on Me" was released in the U.K., where it debuted on the U.K. [Singles Chart] at #55, peaking at #2 for three weeks and receiving gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). In Norway, it re-entered the [VG-lista] singles chart, reaching #1 a year after it was first released. The single was largely successful across the rest of Europe, and reached the top of the [Eurochart Hot 100] for nine weeks. In Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland, it topped the charts and in France and Ireland it reached the Top Three.

{2}Pål Waaktaar-Savoy after his marriage in 1994 when he took his wife's surname and hyphenated it his own.

• {3}Personnel performing on this recording:
• Morten Harket (Lead Vocals)
• Pål "Paul" Waaktaar (Guitars)
• Magne "Mags" Furuholmen (keyboards)

{4}Covered by: et al.

{5}Released on:{*} SINGLE(s): (1)a-ha: A-side: "Take on Me" (a) Warner, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm Single, Promo Only, #7-29001, US-1985. (b) Warner, 3-Inch, CD Single, Promo Only, Presented by [7-11], #WQSE-1001, Japan-1985.

(2)a-ha: A-side: "Take on Me" (Extended Version) B-side: "Take on Me" (Single Version) (a) Warner, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm Single, Promo Only, #PROA-2291, US-1985.

(3)a-ha: A-side: "Take on Me" B-side: "Love is Reason" (a) Warner, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm Single, Promo Only, #P-1985, Japan-1985. (b) Warner, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm Single, #9-29011-7, US-1985. (c) Warner, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm Single, #W9006, UK-1985. (d) Warner, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm Single, #7-29011-1, Australia-1985.

(4)a-ha: A-side: ["Tomame"] ("Take on Me" in Spanish) B-Side: ["El Amor Es Razonar"] ("Love Is Reason" in Spanish) (a) WEA, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm Single, #SWB-209, Mexico-1985.

(5)a-ha: A-side: "Take on Me" B-side: "And You Tell Me" (a) Warner, 7-Inch, Vinyl, 45rpm Single, #W-9146, UK-1985.

(6)a-ha: A-side: "Take on Me" B-side: "The Sun Always Shines on TV" (a) Warner, 12-Inch, Vinyl, EP #7-21999, US-1993.

(7)a-ha: 1. "Take on Me" 2. "The Sun Always Shines on TV" (a) Warner, 5-Inch CD, Cardboard Sleeve, #WB-21999, US-1993.

EP(s): (EP1)a-ha: [Take on Me] 1. "Take on Me" (Long Version) 2. "And You Tell Me" 3. "Stop! And Make Your Mind Up" (a) Warner, 3-Track, 12-Inch, Vinyl EP, #920268-0, Germany-1985.

(EP2)a-ha [Take on Me] 1. "Take on Me" (Extended Version) 2. "Love Is Reason" 3. "Take on Me" (Single Version) (a) WEA, 3-Track, 12-Inch, Vinyl EP, #W-9006-T, UK-1985. (b) Warner, 3-Track, 12-Inch, Vinyl EP, #920336-0, Germany-1985.

(EP3)a-ha: [Take on Me] 1. ["Tomame"] ("Take on Me" in Spanish) 2. "Take on Me" (Single Version in English) 3. ["El Amor Es Razonar"] ("Love Is Reason" in Spanish) (a) WEA, 3-Track, 12-Inch, Vinyl EP, #SLDB-3071, Mexico-1985.

(EP4)Various Artists: [Promo No. 69] 1. Pete Townshend - "Face The Face" 2. Matt Bianco - "Half A Minute" 3. a-ha - "Take on Me" (a) WEA, 3-Track, 12-Inch, Vinyl EP, #21.087, Brazil-1985.

(EP5)a-ha: [Crying in the Rain] 1. "Take on Me" 2. "Cry Wolf" 3. "Stay on These Roads" (a) Warner, 3-Track, 7-Inch Vinyl EP, Limited Edition, #W9547EP, UK-1990.

(EP6)a-ha: 1. "The Sun Always Shines on TV" (Extended Version_ 2. "Driftwood" 3. "Take on Me" (Extended Version) 4. "The Sun Always Shines on TV" (Instrumental) (a) Warner, 4-Track, 5-Inch CD, #15P2-2668, Japan-1985. (b) Warner, 4-Track, 5-Inch CD, Reissue, #28XD-444, Japan-1987.

(EP7)a-ha: [Stay on These Roads] 1. "Stay on These Roads" (Short Version) 2. "Soft Rains of April" (Original Mix) 3. "Take on Me" 4. "Cry Wolf" (a) Warner, 4-Track, 3-Inch CD, #W7936CD, UK & Germany-1988.

(EP8)a-ha: [Road Club] 1. "The Blood That Moves The Body" 2. "Take on Me" (Extended Version) 3. "Stay on These Roads" (Extended Version) 4. "Hunting High and Low" (Extended Remix) 5. "Soft Rains of April" (Original Mix) (a) Warner, 5-Track, 5-Inch CD, #25P2-2131, Japan-1988.

(EP9)a-ha: [Summer Moved On] 1. "Summer Moved On" (Radio Version) 2. "Hunting High and Low" 3. "Take on Me" 4. "The Living Daylights" 5. "Summer Moved On" (Remix) (a) Warner, 5-Track, 5-Inch CD, Promo Only, #PCS-446, Japan-2000.

(EP10)a-ha: [Minor Earth/Major Sky] 1. "Minor Earth/Major Sky" (Radio Version) 2. "Take on Me" 3. "The Sun Always Shines on TV" 4. "Stay on These Roads" 5. "Summer Moved On" (Radio Version) 6. "Minor Earth/Major Sky" (Album Version) (a) Warner, 6-Track, 5-Inch CD, Promo Only, #PCS-478, Japan-2000.

ALBUM(s): (A)a-ha: [Hunting High & Low] (1) Warner Bros., 10-Track, Stereo LP, #9-25300-1, US & Germany-1985. (2) Warner Bros., 10-Track, Stereo LP, RCA Music Service Edition, #R-114779, US-1985. (3) Warner Bros., 10-Track, Stereo CD, #9-25300-2, US & Germany-1985. (4) Warner Bros., 10-Track, Stereo Cassette, #9-25300-4, US-1985. (5) Warner Bros., 10-Track, Stereo CD, #7599-25300-2, Europe-1985. (6) Warner Australia, 10-Track, Stereo CD, #253002, Australia-1985. (7) Warner Bros., 10-Track, Stereo LP, #WX-30, UK-1985.

(B)a-ha: [The Singles 1984-2004] (1) WSM, 19-Track, Stereo CD, #5046-76225-2, US-2004{6}. (2) WSM, 19-Track, Stereo CD, #5046-78324-2, UK-2005.

{*}The album(s) and record(s) listed here may have different versions of the song than the one that was transcribed. Also, this list is not intended to be the complete discography on which this song appears.

{6}Transcribed from the track on this album.