Easily the best idea Todd had early on. This show helped him ride through the difficult pop landscape of the mid 2010s and stay relevant. It’s so easy to go back and rewatch these, too
@ImJesseHart Жыл бұрын
I go back and binge watch some of these sometimes and they feel basically timeless
@JimmyC1994 Жыл бұрын
Same here, way more interested in the history of a song/artist then hearing thoughts of new stuff
@andresdelgado94339 ай бұрын
This comment is what made realize this was the first of the series, can’t believe there was a time when he didn’t do this or train wrecks
@purefoldnz30706 ай бұрын
what a complete and utter twat. Aha had many many many hits.
@iainkilcar74636 ай бұрын
I quite like how one hit wonderland also shows snippets of parts of their other songs so you can get an idea of their other music.
@MysteryMan8527 жыл бұрын
''Take on me'' is the direct translation of ''Tag på mig'' in norwegian and danish, which is a way of saying ''Touch me'' or more literally ''Grab me'' in a sexual manner.
@user-mb9nm7bq5e6 жыл бұрын
Undefined Genderguy so those high notes are us hearing him orgasm?
@Lrozzie6 жыл бұрын
Funny thing I noticed is that he sort of corrects his grammar in "The sun always shines on TV" by using the grammatically correct "Touch me"
@timtee1456 жыл бұрын
Undefined Genderguy and Swedish
@Grautwok6 жыл бұрын
Hey, Norwegian here! I can confirm this, as it directly translates "Ta på meg" (2 letter difference 1 year late, but who cares?)
@ethanpfeiffer74036 жыл бұрын
Tag må pig means Grab me? Weird.
@kingchuckfinley5 жыл бұрын
Their acoustic rendition of this is honestly one of the most beautifully sad things I have ever heard in my entire life. It’s utterly incredible
@TheIronDuke92 жыл бұрын
Agreed
@kabpoetry2 жыл бұрын
That whole MTV Unplugged was brilliant. The version they did of The Sun Always Shines on TV with Ingrid Helene Havik was amazing...and it was great to discover her, and her incredible band Highasakite. If you haven't listened to them, do yourself a favor and do so.
@SpenceIsAChef2 жыл бұрын
I honestly tear up every time I hear it. It’s a completely different song than the original
@Danielsworlds Жыл бұрын
Yeah the unplugged version is so heartbreaking and filled with greaf. It's the main way I think of the song now
@dbillings4 ай бұрын
Thanks for turning me onto the acoustic version. I'll be listening to this on and off for the rest of my life.
@zyxaqc3 жыл бұрын
Fun Fact, Morten Harket once held the record for longest single note, for a male vocalist, in a song, holding a note in A-ha's song "Summer Moved On" for 20.2 seconds. That record would be overtaken by Sahaj Ticotin from the band Ra, who held a note for 24 seconds during a live performance of the song "Skorn".
@nikolaos96522 жыл бұрын
Summer Moved On is such a great song. I am surprised it didn't get a mention in the video
@ahkkariq7406 Жыл бұрын
The record applies to songs from the UK hit 40, so it still stands.
@timbeaton5045 Жыл бұрын
FWIW, that's not too difficult a task. My Friend Anton Browne, (who you won't have heard of) is not only a good instrumentalist, but mainly a great singer, and moreover a great vocal coach (Teaches at the Brit school in London, if you're interested) can do this trick. effortlessly. He mainly does Jazz gigs around London, apart from his teaching stuf, and I've seen him live many times. And when he wants to show off (which he rarely does!) he can hold notes that make you gasp for breath just watching him. I know he could easily outdo any of the above timings! And if you're really into singing, he has a great series of vocal instruction videos on KZbin, which you can easily find. Well worth a watch if you want to know how to improve your singing voice.
@ElanurMH Жыл бұрын
Morten held the note much longer in many live performances.
@codybaird8811Ай бұрын
I'm just amazed to see a reference to the band Ra in the wild. He's a good vocalist as far as what I've heard
@Timliu925 жыл бұрын
I personally love Take On Me a lot. The melody is simple but memorable as heck, the synth riff is iconic, the arrangement is rich, and it is definitely a million times better than many of the modern pop hits Todd has reviewed. Oh, and Morten Harken's falsetto - still absolute badass until this day.
@EmoBearRights4 жыл бұрын
They recently toured doing accoustic versions of all their old hits and on a Comic Relief one off gig featuring 80s acts blew everyone else out of the water doing an accoustic version of Take On Me. I love Duran Duran but they couldn't have done that. Also Mags as he was known in the UK still looks amazing too.
@robinchesterfield424 жыл бұрын
Even more impressive when you realise he can also hit really _low_ notes. Dude has RANGE.
@bareakon3 жыл бұрын
RIP Benny Harvey. Used to headbang along with Manhattan Skyline with him back in the day. He was skeptical at first since we're both massive metalheads and he's like "A-ha? Really?" Still think of him whenever I hear them. Gone but not forgotten. Miss ya big man.
@liquidmoleman7676 Жыл бұрын
Very niche.
@TakeMeOffYourMailingList Жыл бұрын
'sthat A-ha?
@MalditoMendoza8 ай бұрын
You got a reaction out of me, I've got to give you that.
@Englebert3rdАй бұрын
Met him at a charity do once. Very down to earth and very funny
@oldladytrexarms8 жыл бұрын
NOOO! I refuse to believe the couple didn't make it! *covers ears* blah blah I can't hear you! I totally shipped them ever since I saw the video as a kid.
@Dreigonix7 жыл бұрын
+No One That video James Pattersoned me. I refuse to acknowledge it as canon!
@nope10187 жыл бұрын
I refuse to acknowledge James Patterson as canon in reality.
@RubberyCat7 жыл бұрын
I wonder how no one knows that the ending to "Take on me" was ripped from a movie named "The Experiment" back in the early 80s ....? But then, it was weird.
@RubberyCat7 жыл бұрын
khymera915 () "Altered States" you say ..... (Checks it up) YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is the one I was referring to! I knew it as "The Experiment", probably due to that the movies in my country used to have "translated" Titles.
@patricklauer44526 жыл бұрын
nope holy crap I love JP I read some books that he has written and I love
@SirAlanOD8 жыл бұрын
Ah-ha, so that's the fisrt song that started the OHW series. Awesome!
@Launchpad058 жыл бұрын
Still a better love story than 'Twilight'.
@KanjoosLahookvinhaakvinhookvin8 жыл бұрын
+Alan O. D. *a-ha
@Shaymin000008 жыл бұрын
+Kanjoos “ProJared 2” Lahookvinhaakvinhookvin That's what we in the industry call a "pun"
@FSEThompson8 жыл бұрын
Damn he is a dreamboat! Look at that jawline, you could cut diamonds with it!
@MarioWendorf8 жыл бұрын
You sound like Frieza from TFS talking about Goku's abs
@Helios81706 жыл бұрын
Just wait till you see my buddy BJ Blazkowicz
@scisalafaku6 жыл бұрын
Friedrich Sarah E. Thompson no you could mine diamonds with it
@emmaduncan29916 жыл бұрын
European guys with toothpick arms, should not go sleeveless.
@elijahfordsidioticvarietys87705 жыл бұрын
Eh. He ain’t my type. I like women.
@Rocketboy13137 жыл бұрын
Felt more for this couple than those in "The English Patient". Solid gold humor.
@dukbass11973 жыл бұрын
In January in 2020 I went to see A-ha live on their big tour. They were absolutely fantastic. Morten Harket still somehow has those killer cheekbones.
@rubberwoody2 ай бұрын
I thought they broke up
@buckleygeneration8 жыл бұрын
I love Timothy Dalton as Bond, and will defend him forever.
@Becka_Harper6 жыл бұрын
I know this was posted a long time ago, but I right there with you. Timothy Dalton did a for the time quite gritty, and definitely nastier Bond. Half the crap Craig's been lauded for Dalton did first. He is without a doubt my favourite Bond.
@michaelfarrow58175 жыл бұрын
The problem wasn't Dalton, the problem was the shitty budgets
@boesvig22585 жыл бұрын
Dalton is definitely in the running for best Bond, such a shame we only got two movies. If anything, The Living Daylights is one of the Bond movies you shouldn't skip, especially considering the Bonds Dalton is sandwiched between. Roger Moore was more of a campy spoof of Bond than actual Bond, and Brosnan was never more than painfully mediocre. Compared to those two, Dalton's movies are gems.
@michaelfarrow58175 жыл бұрын
@@boesvig2258 If Dalton had made Goldeneye when it was offered, he'd be fondly remembered.
@Hubabuba2584 жыл бұрын
He also reminds me the Bond from the books more than any other actors. I do love Bonds with Dalton.
@socraticparadox75188 жыл бұрын
just watching snippets of their music videos made me want to cry. THEY. TURNED INTO BUTTERFLIES:"(
@WobblesandBean8 жыл бұрын
+Socratic Paradox Right? It's kinda poetic, though. I like seeing all these video though. It's so cool remembering how once upon a time, music videos were a legit art form. It's how Michel Gondry and Spike Jonze both got their start as directors! Then again, so did Michael Bay...
@Cheesypotato578 жыл бұрын
Any idea where I can find that music video?
@kydaper80898 жыл бұрын
+Potatrobot search "a-ha Butterfly Butterfly"
@MaricaAmbrosius6 жыл бұрын
Was that Forever Not Yours?
@ahkkariq7406 Жыл бұрын
@@MaricaAmbrosius The video is "Butterfly Butterfly", which was ment to be their farewell song/video. Later on they came back.
@archer19498 жыл бұрын
Timothy Dalton was criminally underrated as Bond. And the theme was awesome.
@SpyHunter898 жыл бұрын
I'm with you on Timothy Dalton. He was actually my favourite just before Daniel Craig came along. The song itself... not so much. It tried too hard to copy Duran Duran's theme from "A View to A Kill", but with worse lyrics.
@txcforever7 жыл бұрын
Maybe the actor was underrated in the role but I really didn't like his movies. I mean, most other actors gave their own spin and flavor in portraying the character, but I honestly don't remember anything at all from the movies Dalton played Bond. The only thing stuck with me is him getting married and his wife getting killed almost instantly after.
@SyxxPunk7 жыл бұрын
Really? I found him to be somewhat psychopathic compared to the others.
@archer19497 жыл бұрын
SyxxPunk Read the original Ian Fleming novels and stories. He's basically a cold blooded killer.
@franohmsford75487 жыл бұрын
Uh that was George Lazenby and On Her Majesty's Secret Service! Licence to Kill had CIA Agent Felix Leiter getting married with Timothy Dalton's Bond as his Best Man. Oh and Todd is very very wrong - The Living Daylights is outright the best Bond Movie not to star Roger Moore and the third best Bond Movie of all time behind The Spy Who Loved Me and Live and Let Die. P.S. A-Ha's The Living Daylights is superior to Duran Duran's A View to a Kill too {Not to mention that prior to Quantum of Solace only Octopussy was a worse Bond Movie than A View to a Kill! - Prior to Daniel Craig Roger Moore had the worst two Bond Movies as well as the best two!}.
@DokkaChapman7 жыл бұрын
Todd........ do you and A-Ha need to get a room?
@commentfreely54435 жыл бұрын
zero hit wonders!!
@Flowtail5 жыл бұрын
Comment Freely Is that a bad joke, or am i just wooooshing?..
@juliusuzutunda4 жыл бұрын
😁😁😁😁😁😁
@aboody86183 жыл бұрын
1000th like
@AndreNDP Жыл бұрын
Hell nah, he wants it to be public and nasty.
@Spudcore8 жыл бұрын
Take On Me is an undeniable classic, and what an incredible video! However, I personally prefer The Sun Always Shines On TV. It's slightly darker and rockier and has some really nifty synth work. A-Ha were flipping great! Fine analysis, Todd, nicely done.
@the_architect..6 жыл бұрын
Adam Power I don't know in what world A-Ha are one hit wonders. Sure, Take On Me is without a question their biggest hit, but songs like the Sun Always Shine On Tv, Cry Wolf or You Are the One are also songs most people recognize. Sure, they may not know they're the same band, but they're all famous songs.
@silverbane80656 жыл бұрын
Was wondering that myself actually. But maybe it's a USA vrs EU thing. I mean nearly every Brit over 25ish knows 'the living daylghts' from the James bond movies right? I duno if I could pick a fave of mine from there, tho at a guess, 'stay on these roads' manly because when I hear that I instantly think of my fave game at that time (illusion of time,also known as illusion of ghia in us and Japan) as I used to listen to aha and nick Kershaw while playing it ^^
@olivercuenca41094 жыл бұрын
Adam Power I actually use the phrase “the sun only shines on tv” all the time as a short hand for when people say that they wish life was more like stuff they’ve seen in the media.
@applemask6 жыл бұрын
They're Norwegian. They couldn't permit a happy ending.
@RobRandomVids4 жыл бұрын
Oh hey, I've seen you before!
@NUBF8 күн бұрын
Feels like you’re mixing them up with Finns 😂 the depressed Scandinavian brother ❤
@Allerdyne7 жыл бұрын
About the karaoke thing . . . yes. I chose on a whim to sing that in a Korean karaoke parlor on a date once. After I had finished butchering the song, all I had to say for myself was "That was a lot harder than I thought it would be."
@OsKarMike13066 жыл бұрын
The trick is to git gud
@huey13player5 жыл бұрын
Maaaann I can't even act like I didn't sing this hammered with my buddy drunk one night
@AllenJohn2 жыл бұрын
I hope your date said the same 🤣
@andrewgrant65162 жыл бұрын
Two songs to never sing at Karaoke: Take On Me, and Twist And Shout. Throat wreckers.
@billbombshiggy92542 жыл бұрын
Morten is such a beautiful specimen. He's still gorgeous at 62. I'd be his DDS. Also take on me 1984, at the end, you can hear him belt. He's not drowned out by the synthesizers
@ninaj60512 жыл бұрын
Doctor of dental surgery? Diaminodiphenyl sulfone? What is DDS?
@billbombshiggy92542 жыл бұрын
@@ninaj6051 actually it's "designated dick sucker."
@purdster836 жыл бұрын
"I want to know more about these bands." Yeah, me too, right on. "Gotta find something good to kick this series off with." Awesome - wait - Kick off? Series? Checks posted date: 2015 Hell yessss.....
@awookieandagerman4 жыл бұрын
Oh dude, One Hit Wonderland is the great oasis of KZbin.
@sufferedsage6 жыл бұрын
R.I.P. Benny Harvey. Miss ya big man. Gone but not forgotten.
@RoonMian8 жыл бұрын
Here in Germany A-Ha had a respectable comeback in the '00s with "Summer Moved On" and "Minor Earth Major Sky"
@glennpagemusic7 жыл бұрын
RoonMian I love the latter.
@cactuskaktus67347 жыл бұрын
RoonMian minor earth major sky is so god. They were always big in Norway btw
@nakenmil7 жыл бұрын
I love Summer Moved On.
@marystone15266 жыл бұрын
Enthused Norseman So do I.
@RY30DM6 жыл бұрын
I love Minor Earth Major Sky! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHvbenxneJWEoK8
@JaesadaSrisuk8 жыл бұрын
Apparently the "The Sun Always Shines On TV" music video was filmed in the Temple of the Many Faced God in Braavos. #ValarMorghulis
@richsackett34235 жыл бұрын
Great song.
@Cheesypotato578 жыл бұрын
And if anyone's asking, the cover at the end of the video is by Reel Big Fish.
@zenonella8 жыл бұрын
+Potatrobot thank you
@chicagoakland8 жыл бұрын
+Potatrobot That reminds me, I need to see BASEketball again.
@IndyX7 жыл бұрын
Lil Davie H. Them or Rancid's "Time Bomb"
@Aster_Risk7 жыл бұрын
IndyX I don't think they'd count since they also had Ruby Soho .
@Aster_Risk7 жыл бұрын
Potatrobot I think that's my favorite cover song besides Cake's version of I Will Survive. It's so good.
@jamessmith12697 жыл бұрын
in Europe A-Ha weren't a one hit wonder, absolutely not. they were big enough to record a bond theme in "living daylights" and before they broke up, they performed for the King of Norway. not to mention that all of them were given titles by the king. they must have had at least five major hits. and I shouldn't comment before watching a full video either.
@DALILABOECHAT5 жыл бұрын
Yesssss
@EmeraldZion5 жыл бұрын
The living daylights is an amazing song
@dorientjewoller1135 жыл бұрын
And forgetting to mention their best track of all: Hunting High And Low.
@iaincowell97475 жыл бұрын
@@dorientjewoller113 Stay on these roads, The sun always shines on TV
@larae.55534 жыл бұрын
I was so confused? Aha a one hit wonder? Hell, I am going on an Aha concert in November.
@kit2tails2 жыл бұрын
They are still making music. I discovered they are even putting out a new album this year (2022), according to something KZbin suggested for me. And their music continues to be good. And they are all just as handsome as they were when I was a kid. Thank you for telling everyone about “Crying in the Rain” though.
@emilymcplugger5 жыл бұрын
Their second album “Scoundrel Days” is an 80’s synth-pop, anxt master-class. The exceptional production on “Scoundrel Days” makes it even better than the first album “hunting high and low” in my opinion.
@Hagledesperado4 жыл бұрын
Agreed, it's a mature, solid pop album with very few, if any, weak songs. Their best, IMO. Hardly any hits though, but who really cares about hits when there are so many good albums to listen to?
@Nhileishere7 жыл бұрын
"Im gonna need a really good one to kick this project off with.. a-ha!" me: ...
@DinobotTM27 жыл бұрын
"Hunting High and Low" is also pretty awesome.
@ackbarfan55566 жыл бұрын
What about Manhattan Skyline. Holy crap, that rocks!
@grindmaster74335 жыл бұрын
And "Cry wolf"
@MatthewJohnCrittenden4 жыл бұрын
The Sun Always Shines On TV was a UK #1 … They are hardly One Hit Wonders ...
@georgeprout424 жыл бұрын
@@MatthewJohnCrittenden also still touring, with UK dates later in Nov 2020. Definitely not a one hit wonder, nor are they forgotten.
@MatthewJohnCrittenden4 жыл бұрын
@@georgeprout42My Aussie wife (I'm English) says they are a one hit wonder and not heard the other tracks, must be a regional thing!
@julesakers30514 жыл бұрын
"The Sun Always Shines On TV" was a bigger hit than "Take On Me" here in the UK.
@EclecticoIconoclasta4 жыл бұрын
He did mention that
@yellowstalk66537 жыл бұрын
That "Aha!" pun is the stupidest fucking pun and I love it.
@anastasiawasylinko54824 жыл бұрын
My mom LOVED A-Ha when she was a teen in Europe - she mentioned that she would blast their music REALLY loud when her family wasn't at home!
@birdie12856 жыл бұрын
one of my favorite bits of trivia about a-ha is that the sun always shines on tv inspired the title of the show it's always sunny in philadelphia! the show was originally going to be called it's always sunny on tv (cause it was gonna be about a group of struggling actors in la, but when that changed they changed the title of the show too). Me and all my friends are huge fans of the show and the song! i'm always a little suprised that more people aren't fans of that song, it's so underrated!
@gustavedore10737 жыл бұрын
A-ha's version of Crying in the rain is still one of my favourite songs from 80's
@gabe_s_videos7 жыл бұрын
Oh god, their cover of "Crying in The Rain." Because that song wasn't already miserable.
@Alexander18686 жыл бұрын
I like that song..
3 жыл бұрын
"Take On Me" was a perfect audio-visual storm of awesomeness, but these guys kept the quality going for years to come. "Minor Earth, Major Sky"... Simply briliant.
@saullular.phone1 Жыл бұрын
Lifelines is also a great one
@Skreezilla7 жыл бұрын
Weird part for me growing up in England is many of the one hit wonders are either people that had shit ton of hits in europe or we never heard of :p
@Dr.Quarex2 жыл бұрын
I mean they had more hits in the U.S. too, but somehow it does not count because they never hit the top 10 again
@leaffinite20017 ай бұрын
Thats kinda how it is. Either they had only one good song and therefore are unheard of outside their home country, or they had to have enough domestic success to get one decent hit outside their home country.
@leaffinite20017 ай бұрын
@@Dr.Quarexi guarentee 90% of americans, 99.9% of americans under the age of 45, have never heard a song from them other than take on me. Definitely dont remember any.
@alexnauru76924 ай бұрын
A-Ha are honestly such a good band, they deserve more credit then just a one hit wonder.
@fastbowler7 жыл бұрын
Shoutout for a-ha's cover of "Crying In the Rain"! Even the video for it is awesome… great show-don't-tell storytelling…
@schleepy63628 жыл бұрын
I wanted the couple to make it too, Todd. Now I'm all depressed 3:
@dvt13934 жыл бұрын
Ahh, here it is. The first One Hit Wonderland. I've been binge watching my way through this series after discovering Todd In the Shadows a few days ago. And I have to say that this is now one of my favorite music analysis series ever. And Todd has quickly become one of my favorite music critics in any medium. His Pop Song Analysis and Trainwrecords series are both also excellent. Deep analysis, quick wit, and dry humor all add up to a channel that I am loving exploring, and now look forward to every upload. Thank you, Todd.
@magnushmann4 жыл бұрын
- Take on Me - Stay on These Roads - Forever Not Yours - Touchy! - The Sun Always Shines on T.V. - The Living Daylights
@bennytodts73913 жыл бұрын
Hunting high and low
@pmcmahon24938 жыл бұрын
I really like "The Living Daylights." It's one of my favorite Bond themes. I'd also say that the a-ha studio version is much better than the movie version. I like John Berry's orchestrations, but the rest of it is so low energy.
@rzeka7 жыл бұрын
damn, his voice is incredible
@ruthmeow42624 жыл бұрын
Okay, I haven't heard The Sun Always Shines on TV since the 80's and I can still sing the chorus. And he still has dreamy eyes.
@ccdiamond3084 жыл бұрын
As a European kid of the 90s, it's so strange to me when someone refers to A-Ha, Scatman, Vidas, Modern Talking or Dr Alban as one-hit wonders, they pretty much defined my childhood
@TheNoSuchThingPodcast2 жыл бұрын
I never get sick of this song. Sun always shines makes me bleed with nostalgia
@mangrove5 жыл бұрын
The Sun Always Shines On TV got lots of play on MTV. I actually liked the song. When my wife and I were living in South Korea a few years ago, I saw a ladies t-shirt with "The Sun Always Shines On TV" on it, and bought it for my wife.
@prufrockj.a85324 жыл бұрын
To everyone who loves this song: listen to a-ha's MTV Unplugged version. It's the slowed down acoustic version (no it does not sound like a white guy with a guitar song) and it is heartbreakingly, hauntingly, unbearable beautiful and poignant. I fell in love with the song all over again. The singer's voice is still amazing and you might just find out that there are a few lyrics to this song that you never knew existed.
@maryannvalerio98693 жыл бұрын
The acoustic cover of this song in Deadpool 2 was truly moving and had me near tears. Didn't realize that they were kinda replicating the video in the scene where they used it too!
@TheNoSuchThingPodcast2 жыл бұрын
My god your right. I’m not even that emotional dammit and it had me choking up wishing there was a happy ending to this song
@apoplexiamusic5 жыл бұрын
I really hope U2 gave A-ha royalties for Beautiful Day sounding so much like The Sun Always Shines On TV
@rct3isepic8 жыл бұрын
also, these guys just had a performance at the nobel peace prize concert. AND IT KICKED ASS!!!
@WobblesandBean8 жыл бұрын
+rct3isepic Oooo I'll have to look that up, I wanna see!
@rct3isepic8 жыл бұрын
yeah. they played a tropical house remix of take on me with kygo as well
@DeadshotDivinityFan8 жыл бұрын
+rct3isepic that's dope
@jaymz0108 жыл бұрын
Morten Harket - Prettiest white boy on the planet!
@FFVison5 жыл бұрын
Sebastian Bach back in the day I think has him beat.
@girliboi5 жыл бұрын
kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnm6aYyjf72miKs
@AirKangLocker5 жыл бұрын
Nope George Michael
@ketchakik4 жыл бұрын
You clearly haven’t seen me
@robinchesterfield424 жыл бұрын
Fun (?) fact, I went through a phase years ago where I went around drawing rock/pop people, because I had this #1 Hits book with all these cool pictures in that made good reference material. So when I was drawing Morten Harkett (because why not) and somebody walked by and saw it, they immediately asked if that was my boyfriend. XD ...I didn't know whether to be more annoyed or flattered. :P
@bladeobrian21446 жыл бұрын
I have all of their albums, including the ones not released in the USA! They’re so much more than Take On Me.
@strangeland40624 жыл бұрын
I agree!
@bladeobrian21444 жыл бұрын
Strangeland yeah! I can’t wait to see them in LA this fall! I’ll be traveling down there from Seattle! Hopefully this virus is done by then.
@strangeland40624 жыл бұрын
Blade O’Brian awesome! I wish they were coming to the east coast!
@christopherscorner5 жыл бұрын
While living in Germany as an exchange student in 1986, I Purchased the “Scoundrel days“ album and my brother and I still listen to that album today… It’s delicious to the ears!
@Bikewithlove5 жыл бұрын
7:24 Ouch! Brutal. I can see that, which is why I related deeply to A-Ha and still do. In fact, the problem isn’t that the English is bad - it’s that the lyrics are too poetic. Not a lot of people express themselve like that because people alienate you when you think outside the box. It’s no wonder A-Ha’s music over their entire career is all about that isolation and loneliness.
@ahkkariq7406 Жыл бұрын
Finally someone who got it. If you listen to interviews with the band from 1985, you can hear that their English is impeccable. I have read many Brits commenting that they spoke better English than most Brits, presumably because they spoke without slang or dialect. Oxford English was a school subject in Norway even back then. Paul, the main songwriter, read meters of classic literature in English before they left Norway precisely to perfect his English, as well as to become a better poet.
@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep4 жыл бұрын
The Sun Always Shines On TV is one of my favourite songs. It's such a strange beautiful song
@arturslunga34152 жыл бұрын
"Hunting high and low" was a big hit in the UK in 1986.
@fugithegreat3 жыл бұрын
One of my all-time favorite songs.
@shawnfields23692 жыл бұрын
Same here.
@milenski267 жыл бұрын
I remember listening to "Crying in the rain" a lot on the radio. I never knew it was A-ha.
@pmberry3 жыл бұрын
Incredibly for an effects-heavy music video pushing 40 years old, it still holds up today! What a great song to start a series with, which I'm belatedly getting into just now.
@ktee14034 жыл бұрын
I loved Sun Always Shines On TV. I remember always lifting the needle on the record to repeat that song.
@omgsolikevalleygirl5 жыл бұрын
wow - Harket and A-HA are some of the best musicians Europop has ever brought to chart success... all their albums are genius and well worth listening to. Sometimes great music doesn't make it to chart success always, but A-HA went on to have countless hits in Europe. Their last big one was "live by the foot of the mountain" and "forever not yours". Give them a listen - they're fantastic!
@shadowlinkbds7 жыл бұрын
Ah the very first one hit wonderland. I really love this segment of your show Todd. To this day Take On Me remains my favorite one hit wonder. It's just a fantastic catchy song.
@desktopkitty4 жыл бұрын
the NOT one hit wonder, Take On Me... because a-ha has had several hits... just not in The United States. They got back together in 2015, and to this day are still making music and touring. Though have sadly had to cancel several concerts because of the corona virus. Thank you for pointing out how freaking great this band is! (edit: by the way, I once told Magne Furuholmen that "take on me" didn't make sense. He said, "that's why it worked". He's so funny.)
@ButtersCCookie2 жыл бұрын
Can't believe you've been around for 6 years and just found you a week or so ago. Love, love, love your channel. Thank you.
@unique_mushroom9 ай бұрын
way longer than 6 years bud
@karolineblubber8 жыл бұрын
Okay, the fact that Todds door is ajar creeps me out.
@heehoproductions85907 жыл бұрын
Isn't it weird that one of A-ha's new songs is called "Door Ajar"
@stephonethejerk19446 жыл бұрын
Eric Darden I love you
@Gnug2154 жыл бұрын
A-Ha had sooo many other good songs. I was a massive fan back in the day when I was a kid, and I loved the first 3 albums. (After that, they kinda dropped off the map for a while, as they - their music - kinda seemed to mature faster than I did, but I've since re-visited some of their music.) But some favorites of mine include: Hunting High and Low, Hurry Home, Living a Boy's Adventure Tale, October, Out of Blue Comes Green, Soundrel Days, The Swing of Things, The Weight of the Wind, This Alone is Love, Touchy. And more recently, Forever not Yours was a bit of a comeback hit for them (ok, that's a while back now, but still.) So in my world, they we're never anything that remotely resembled a onee hit wonder.
@laurabjork8 жыл бұрын
I would say they are still big not only in Norway but a lot of parts of Europe. The are one of best live performers and they re so good.
@cynzix6 жыл бұрын
Laura Bjork I've seen them twice In the last decade here in Argentina
@qwertyTRiG5 жыл бұрын
Pick any of their songs on KZbin and observe that most comments are in Portuguese. They're big in Brazil.
@MarioWendorf8 жыл бұрын
You know what's awful Todd? I attached a big pile of 80s songs to a relationship that failed. Attached in that we listened to this stuff together, rediscovering it for me and the first time for her. The songs shown here hit me right where I live man.
@tommackevich18107 жыл бұрын
Would never have thought of A-ha as a one hit wonder. They had quite a few memorable songs. I remember many of them playing on the radio when I was in school. Can remember at least five from the top of my head still. Todd overshot with this one..
@MCSMeister7 жыл бұрын
I wouldn't say that. They're still considered a one-hit wonder by most Americans, and most can't name a song other than Take on Me.
@MCSMeister7 жыл бұрын
Yes, I know that. Todd seems to pick these one-hit wonders from America's perspective, though. Same reason he did a video on Midnight Oil - they only had one big US hit but remained popular in Australia.
@leaffinite20017 ай бұрын
Not really. He literally opens asking "are these songs really one hit wonders" as one of his questions the whole one hit wonderland series is meant to answer
@chuckbatman58 жыл бұрын
I've gotta listen to more of A-ha's music, every snippet of song you played from them sounded really great
@neilscole4 жыл бұрын
The entire East of the West of the Moon album is pure amazing.
@jackwells81072 жыл бұрын
I'm one of those weird people who would hear a song on the radio and go buy the entire album. I always loved Living a Boys' Adventure Tale.
@Mark-zu6oz2 жыл бұрын
Blue Sky and Train of Thought
@villehytonen72793 жыл бұрын
I will never understand people who are calling A-Ha a one hit wonder. Most of their albums are great and Take On Me is just one great song in their catalog. "They were the band"? They still are.
@mariaquiet62113 жыл бұрын
I suppose he's talking to a perspective of what present day Americans remember. A lot of these bands had multiple hits in Europe and are cult acts in America with a legacy but most Americans just remember the one hit.
@EyesOfFrozenMeatАй бұрын
They are incredibly talented. They have hours worth of good music and perform very well live.
@jackulstrom91503 жыл бұрын
Hunting High and Low is seriously the single best pop album of all time. Every song from that record deserved to be as big as Take On Me.
@No1SamSmithHater3 жыл бұрын
The sun always shines on TV and Manhattan Skyline are fantastic songs
@camerondodge20704 жыл бұрын
Personally, my top A-ha songs are "Hunting High And Low", "Summer Moved On", and "Lifelines". Also, if you want top-notch A-ha, check out the albums "East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon", "Minor Earth, Major Sky", "Lifelines", and "Cast In Steel", which is their 2016 reunion album. As it turns out, they reunited not long after this video and are still together.
@MaikuWotaharu7 жыл бұрын
My issue with this is that you got the instruments wrong. Pal Waaktaar is the guitarist and Magne Furuholmen handles the keyboards (sometimes guitar). Apart from that, it's alright.
@mainsmain6 жыл бұрын
Touch meeeeee the sun always shines on the TV Hunting high and low, so not just a one hit wonder
@rowana56074 ай бұрын
I always end up comfort rewatching one hit wonderland every so often.
@artexjay Жыл бұрын
A-Ha is still going strong honestly, releasing new albums still, still releasing bangers, Take On Me is a very good song
@MilanFelix2 жыл бұрын
A freind of my used to be a really huge fan of a-ha, manhattan skyline was his favorite song of theirs. RIP Benny Harvey miss you big man.
@robinisomaa7 жыл бұрын
I think "take on me" is a bad translation of "ta på meg", which means "touch me".
@ireallylikeclouds9896 жыл бұрын
grab me. actually (lenny face but i dont feel like finding and copying and pasting it.)
@Victoria-dv2nv6 жыл бұрын
@@ireallylikeclouds989 Å ta can mean to grab, but å ta på means to touch.
@kalleguld3 жыл бұрын
And "take me on"? Ta meg på = wear me?
@hieutruong74563 жыл бұрын
The line is fucking iconic tho
@kpk33x2 жыл бұрын
This song is 1 of 2 that completely captures the 80s in my head - innovative video that got big play on MTV, lots of synthesizer, was big right in the middle of the decade. The other is "It's My Life" by Talk Talk.
@lucasoheyze45972 жыл бұрын
Nobody cares what you think
@crazy4orlando26 жыл бұрын
"Please don't ask me to defend the shameful lowlands of the way im drifting gloomily through time" is one of my favorite song lyrics of all time.
@13Wolfie133 жыл бұрын
The slow, acoustic version of this song is beautiful.
@scidididi95645 жыл бұрын
honestly, i like the sun always shines on tv *WAY MORE* than take on me
@danpreston5644 жыл бұрын
Saw a-ha live a few years ago, the crowd attempting to sing the high note was just joyful. They fucking rocked, by the way.
@MsHildur907 жыл бұрын
As an norwegian I find your pronunciation of their names hilarious xD
@jenniferkubik86865 жыл бұрын
I love the synthesizers on this song and it is so 1985! The video and song were both cool back in the day. Had to have been there to experience it when it was new. Take On Me is still a favorite of mine. Love The Sun Always Shines on TV too. 80's kids got all this. 👍 Both are great songs.
@arothmanmusic3 жыл бұрын
Correction - Pal (Paul) plays guitar and Magne plays keys. You can see that in the videos. :) Also, the girl in the video (Bunty Bailey) was Morten’s actual girlfriend at the time. a-Ha has a ton of great songs. Every one of their albums had at least one killer hook (and a fair amount of filler in some cases). Their MTV Unplugged is great. There’s a feature documentary about them out this year.
@waziotter3 жыл бұрын
In 2020 Morten Harket took part in the UK version of the Masked Singer. He sang Take on Me. British people who were teenagers in the 80s will never be able to discuss him without calling him Morten Horten Sortin Fnorten Harket. Any 80s teen will immediately know why.
@wolfenstarnice48215 жыл бұрын
TAAAAAAKE MEEEEEE OOOOOOON! TAKE ON ME! TAKE OOOOOOON MEEEEEEEE! TAKE ON ME! I love this song.
@stephenharris55324 жыл бұрын
I was going to say "The Sun Always Shines On TV" is their other hit and was my favorite song for a loooong time. It's such a good song.
@taylor29ish6 жыл бұрын
Stay on these roads is a beautiful song by them.
@ZOB44 жыл бұрын
It is most certainly the best music video of all time, and you can tell that to Kanye West.
@palaguin8 жыл бұрын
Personally, my favorite A-Ha song is "Cry Wolf".
@glennpagemusic7 жыл бұрын
Bedford Crenshaw Great tune!
@sakuraglenn6 жыл бұрын
12" version is ace
@cathylindeboo.95984 ай бұрын
This is deja vu for me back to when I lived in Atascadero with my baby and abusive husband, who died of AIDS in 1986, and left his daughter and I with nothing. But I/we SURVIVED him, thank God!!!!