Take On Me

Song Meaning of Take On Me by A-Ha

"Take On Me" came from the old band Bridges, which was consisted of Pål Waaktaar and Magne Furuholmen. The two guys wrote "The Juicy Fruit Song" when they were 15 and 16 years old. The first version of the song was more "punky" in an effort to counter the riff, since the band initially thought it was too pop-oriented for their group.

The song's original take was somewhat influenced by Ray Manzarek of Doors, whose "almost mathematical but very melodic, structured way of playing" served as an inspiration. Though Waaktaar thought the song was too pop-oriented for their intended dark tone, Furuholmen remembered finding it "quite catchy".

Bridges broke up shortly after that. After six months of failure, Waaktaar and Furuholmen moved to London to try their luck in the music industry. However, they soon returned to Norway. After hearing the song, their school friend Morten Harket, a singer, joined them, stating that the keyboard riff had the makings of a global hit.

The three started working on demos, which included a fresh rendition of the song that was originally called "Lesson One" before changing to "Take On Me". The group went back to London in January 1983 in an attempt to secure a recording deal. Because of their intention to showcase Harket's vocal range, his voice are heard "doing this spiralling thing" in the song.

The song has been described as "having one of the hardest-to-sing choruses in pop history" by Rolling Stone.

Warner Bros. made an investment in the groundbreaking "Take On Me" second video in the USA. A month before the record was available in stores or on the radio, the new video was premiered on television and in dance clubs. The song rose to the top of Billboard's Hot 100, peaking at number one in October 1985 thanks to extensive airplay on MTV.

Take On Me lyrics by A-Ha

Talking away

I don't know what I'm to say

I'll say it anyway

Today is another day to find you

Shying away

I'll be coming for your love. OK?

Take on me (take on me)

Take me on (take on me)

I'll be gone

In a day or two

So needless to say

Of odds and ends

But I'll be stumbling away

Slowly learning that life is OK.

Say after me,

"It's no better to be safe than sorry."

Take on me (take on me)

Take me on (take on me)

I'll be gone

In a day or two

Oh, things that you say. Yeah.

Is it life or just to 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 on me)

Take me on (take on me)

I'll be gone

In a day

Take on me (take on me)

Take me on (take on me)

I'll be gone

In a day

Take on me (take on me)

Take me on (take on me)