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Take On Me - a-ha (1985)
The Norwegian hit that needed three releases to succeed. Its revolutionary rotoscoped video surpassed 2 billion YouTube views.
Historical Context
"Take On Me" has a fascinating history. Originally published in October 1984, it was a complete failure: it sold just 300 copies worldwide. The group re-recorded it with producer Alan Tarney and relaunched it in 1985 with a revolutionary video combining live action with rotoscope animation.
Massive MTV exposure propelled the single to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 19, 1985. a-ha became the first Norwegian band to achieve a US number one. In 2024, the video surpassed 2 billion YouTube views, becoming the first 1980s music video to reach that milestone.
Musical Characteristics
The song is in A major with an energetic tempo of 169 BPM. Instrumentation combines synth-pop with acoustic elements: acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards (PPG Wave and Yamaha DX7 synthesizers), LinnDrum programming, and Morten Harket's impressive vocal range.
The song is more sophisticated than it appears: it scores above average in chord complexity and melodic complexity. The main riff is built on the A Dorian mode.
Trivia
- The video that changed history. Approximately 3,000 frames were rotoscoped, a process that took 16 weeks. The complete video required six months of production. At the 1986 MTV VMAs, it won six awards (a record at the time).
- Behind-the-scenes romance. The cafe scenes were filmed at "Kim's cafe" in southwest London (today an Ethiopian restaurant). Actress Bunty Bailey, who plays "the girl," became vocalist Morten Harket's girlfriend.
- Three attempts to succeed. The song needed three separate releases. The first (1984) sold 300 copies. Only when paired with the rotoscoped video and released a third time did the song explode worldwide.