Something for Thursday

The other day I saw this joke on Facebook and shared it:

That’s a funny bit about how easy it is to disappear oneself into a rabbit hole…plus, for an 80s kid like me, it’s a fun reference to one of that decade’s iconic pop songs!

And then a friend commented in reference to a slow acoustic version of the song.

Now, for reference, here’s the original (with the equally-iconic video, with comic-book style animation):

“Take On Me” is an 80s kind of bubblegum song: up-tempo, cheerful, and loaded with 80s synthy goodness. It’s ear-wormy as hell; everybody knows this song and it’s impossible not to hum it after hearing it.

But…that slow acoustic version. I had to hear it.

And now, so do you.

This is definitely an interesting take on the song (by the original artist!). The band, a-ha, has a reputation for being a one-hit wonder group in the 80s, but that’s only true if you think of the American pop music scene exclusively. a-ha was actually a big group in Europe for a long time. The band formed in Norway in 1982, and has been active ever since (with a few “break-up” periods here and there, never lasting for more than a few years). a-ha has recorded more than a dozen albums, and they parlayed their pop-cultural cachet from “Take On Me” in 1985 to performing the title song to 1987’s James Bond movie, The Living Daylights.

This live recording, by the way, was recorded in 2017. Thirty-two years after the original song hit MTV like a pipe-wrench through a plate-glass window. (Watch the video of the original, if you don’t get the reference.)

 

 

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