Hunting High and Low
Encyclopedia
Hunting High and Low is the debut album by Norwegian new wave
band A-ha
. Released on 1 June 1985 through Warner Bros. Records
, the album was a huge commercial success selling more than 10 million units worldwide, peaking at #15 in the United States Billboard 200 and reaching high positions on charts
worldwide. The album was recorded at Eel Pie Studios in Twickenham
, produced by Tony Mansfield
, John Ratcliff and Alan Tarney.
In all, five singles
from the album were released, though not all were released internationally: "Take on Me
", "Love Is Reason", "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.
", "Train of Thought
" and "Hunting High and Low". The group was nominated for best new artist at the Grammy Awards in 1986, making A-ha the first Norwegian band to be nominated for a Grammy.
As part of a re-release of their first two albums, Hunting High and Low was expanded and remastered in 2010.
" was the first single released by the band. An early version was recorded and released in late 1984 with an early music video. The song became a #3 hit in A-ha's native Norway but failed to chart in the United Kingdom. The band went back into the studio to re-record the song for the Hunting High and Low album, but a second UK release in early 1985 was again ignored. Before releasing their single in the United States, the band undertook the production of a new music video
for the song, working with director Steve Barron
. Barron had previously created hit videos for Toto
, Thomas Dolby
, Culture Club
and Michael Jackson
, but the A-ha video was unlike any of his earlier work. A plot-driven amalgamation of live-action and rotoscope
-style animation
by husband-and-wife team Michael Patterson
and Candace Reckinger, it drew inspiration from Patterson's animated film Commuter and the film Altered States
. The innovative video for "Take on Me" was first broadcast on local Boston
music video station V-66
, and soon after given heavy rotation
on MTV
.
The single debuted in Billboard
the week of July 13, 1985, and was heading into the U.S. top twenty when it was given an international release, including a second release in Norway and a third shot at the UK market. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100
in the United States, spending 27 weeks on the charts and becoming the tenth-biggest single of 1985, and this time going to number two in the United Kingdom and number one in Norway
. In all, the song reached number one in 36 countries, becoming one of the world's best-selling singles of all time with nearly 9 million copies sold.
The second single for most of the world was "The Sun Always Shines on TV" ("Love is Reason" had failed to hit the Norwegian Top 40 earlier in the year), and the band followed its massively successful music video with another critically acclaimed clip for the song. Starting off as a sequel of sorts, Harket breaks away from his happy ending to join his band in performance amidst mannequin
s at a rural church, Saint Albans in Teddington, which has since become an art gallery. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." improved upon the first single's success in the United Kingdom, hitting number one and remaining there for two weeks in January 1986. It was a top-10 hit nearly everywhere it was released except in the United States, where it peaked at #20 and would be the band's last major hit to date in that country. The single sold 5 million copies around the world. The track was remixed as a dance version, which was a top-5 hit on the U.S. Dance chart, and B-side
to the single and remix was the otherwise unreleased "Driftwood."
"Train of Thought
" saw limited release as the third single in Europe. It was not released as a 7" in the United States but received rock radio play and a set of remixes again made the dance charts. Waaktaar based the lyrics for this song on existentialist authors and poets Gunvor Hofmo
, Knut Hamsun
and Fyodor Dostoevsky
, his favourites at the time. It was A-ha's third consecutive Top 10 single in the United Kingdom and Ireland, reaching #8 and #5 respectively, and charting well in Germany and Sweden. World sales hit 500,000 copies.
The last single from the album was "Hunting High and Low", released in June 1986. The single saw its highest chartings in France, where it peaked at number four, and the United Kingdom, where it was number five. The single was released in the United States but did not make the Hot 100
. An extended version was available on 12" vinyl, but the midtempo track did not see dance chart success.
Coldplay
, a band influenced by A-ha, has been known to perform "Hunting High and Low" in concert.
The "Take On Me" video was nominated for eight 1986 MTV Video Music Awards
, and at the third annual ceremony September 5, 1986, the video won six awards, including Best New Artist and Viewer's Choice. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." was nominated for an additional three awards, winning two, for a total of eight wins. Even as the total number of categories has nearly doubled, only one other artist to date has won as many MTV Awards in a single year. Peter Gabriel
won nine the following year for "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time," two videos which progressed further down the roads A-ha ventured in groundbreaking use of animation in music video.
In 2002, "Take On Me" was ranked at number eight on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders, although this status is slightly misleading as it reflects A-ha's lack of mainstream success in the United States; the group was by no means a one-hit wonder elsewhere or in career terms. In 2006, "Take on Me" was ranked number 24 on VH1
's Greatest Songs of the 1980s.
The cover photograph was taken by Just Loomis and was nominated in 1986 for a Grammy as "Album Cover of the Year."
The band released a live version of "The Sun Always Shines on TV" in 2003.
s Top 200 album chart. The album granted A-ha international recognition. Hunting High and Low got 3x platinum status in the UK and Platinum status in the United States and Germany, and Gold status in Brazil, and the Netherlands.
The album peaked at 15 in the U.S., according to Billboard
music charts and has sold about 1.8 million copies in the U.S. It peaked at 2 on the UK charts, and hit 1 in Norway. The album has been certified platinum in the United States and 3x platinum in UK.
Beginning with the single "Take On Me", A-ha's debut album sold more than eight million copies worldwide and spawned two number one hits. In the fall of 1986, "Take On Me
" and "The Sun Always Shines on TV" were nominated for 11 MTV
Video Awards combined, and A-ha won eight of these.
Tim DiGravina of AllMusic Guide said "It's a cohesive album with smart pace changeups, and it rarely fails to delight or satisfy a listener's need for a synth pop fix... One can't escape the feeling that Hunting High and Low is a product of the 1980s, but with highs like 'Take On Me' and 'The Sun Always Shines on TV,' and no lows in sight, A-ha's debut is a treat worth relishing."
The album has sold more than ten million copies worldwide.
began a world tour which went through August 1987. The band had never played a single concert when "Take On Me
" shot to #1 in America; soon it could boast a 16-country, 113-city tour under its belt along with countless interviews and television appearances.
On July 6, 2010 the albums Hunting High and Low and Scoundrel Days
was released as deluxe editions in the USA through Rhino Records and both albums debuted in the top 40 Billboard Top Internet Sales Chart. Hunting High and Low at # 34 and Scoundrel Days
at # 36.
Disc 2
There are also four bonus download-only tracks on each release, available in most countries:
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band A-ha
A-ha
A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
. Released on 1 June 1985 through Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
, the album was a huge commercial success selling more than 10 million units worldwide, peaking at #15 in the United States Billboard 200 and reaching high positions on charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
worldwide. The album was recorded at Eel Pie Studios in Twickenham
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
, produced by Tony Mansfield
Tony Mansfield
Tony Mansfield, born May 28, 1943, Salford, England, is an English songwriter, musician and record producer. Mansfield was the main songwriter/producer for New Musik, a synthpop band that performed from 1979 to 1982.-References:...
, John Ratcliff and Alan Tarney.
In all, five singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from the album were released, though not all were released internationally: "Take on Me
Take on Me
"Take on Me" is a song by the Norwegian pop band A-ha. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's first studio album Hunting High and Low, released in 1985...
", "Love Is Reason", "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.
The Sun Always Shines on T.V.
"The Sun Always Shines on T.V." is a song by Norwegian pop band A-ha. It was released as the third single from the band's debut album, Hunting High and Low. In many countries the single was not as successful as the band's previous, "Take on Me", which hit #1 in the U.S. and several countries around...
", "Train of Thought
Train of Thought (a-ha song)
"Train of Thought" is a song by Norwegian new wave band A-ha. It was released as the fourth single off the Hunting High and Low album. The lyrics for this song were based on the existentialist authors and poets Gunvor Hofmo, Knut Hamsun and Fyodor Dostoevsky - Pål's favourites at the time.It was...
" and "Hunting High and Low". The group was nominated for best new artist at the Grammy Awards in 1986, making A-ha the first Norwegian band to be nominated for a Grammy.
As part of a re-release of their first two albums, Hunting High and Low was expanded and remastered in 2010.
Music
"Take on MeTake on Me
"Take on Me" is a song by the Norwegian pop band A-ha. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's first studio album Hunting High and Low, released in 1985...
" was the first single released by the band. An early version was recorded and released in late 1984 with an early music video. The song became a #3 hit in A-ha's native Norway but failed to chart in the United Kingdom. The band went back into the studio to re-record the song for the Hunting High and Low album, but a second UK release in early 1985 was again ignored. Before releasing their single in the United States, the band undertook the production of a new music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song, working with director Steve Barron
Steve Barron
Steven "Steve" Barron is a director and producer, best known for directing the films Coneheads , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the innovative music videos for a-ha's "Take on Me" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean"....
. Barron had previously created hit videos for Toto
Toto (band)
Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
, Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby is an English musician and producer. Best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science", and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", he has also worked extensively in production and as a session musician.-Early life:Dolby was born in London, England, contrary to information in early 1980s...
, Culture Club
Culture Club
Culture Club are a British rock band who were part of the 1980s New Romantic movement. The original band consisted of Boy George , Mikey Craig , Roy Hay and Jon Moss...
and Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, but the A-ha video was unlike any of his earlier work. A plot-driven amalgamation of live-action and rotoscope
Rotoscope
Rotoscoping is an animation technique in which animators trace over live-action film movement, frame by frame, for use in animated films. Originally, recorded live-action film images were projected onto a frosted glass panel and re-drawn by an animator...
-style animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
by husband-and-wife team Michael Patterson
Michael Patterson
Michael Patterson is an experimental film artist, teacher, and a commercial film director specializing in TV spots and music videos. He currently teaches animation at the Division of Animation and Digital Arts at the USC School of Cinematic Arts...
and Candace Reckinger, it drew inspiration from Patterson's animated film Commuter and the film Altered States
Altered States
Altered States is a 1980 American science fiction-horror film adaptation of a novel by the same name by playwright and screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky. It was the only novel that Chayefsky ever wrote, as well as his final film. Both the novel and the film are based on John C...
. The innovative video for "Take on Me" was first broadcast on local Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
music video station V-66
WUTF-TV
WUTF-DT is a television station in the Boston market. Owned by the Univision Broadcast Group and managed locally by Entravision, the station is an affiliate of the Telefutura network...
, and soon after given heavy rotation
Heavy rotation
In broadcasting, rotation is the repeated airing of a limited playlist of songs on a radio station or satellite radio channel, or music videos on a TV network. They are usually in a different order each time, however they are not completely shuffled, so as to avoid playing the same song again too...
on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
The single debuted in Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
the week of July 13, 1985, and was heading into the U.S. top twenty when it was given an international release, including a second release in Norway and a third shot at the UK market. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in the United States, spending 27 weeks on the charts and becoming the tenth-biggest single of 1985, and this time going to number two in the United Kingdom and number one in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. In all, the song reached number one in 36 countries, becoming one of the world's best-selling singles of all time with nearly 9 million copies sold.
The second single for most of the world was "The Sun Always Shines on TV" ("Love is Reason" had failed to hit the Norwegian Top 40 earlier in the year), and the band followed its massively successful music video with another critically acclaimed clip for the song. Starting off as a sequel of sorts, Harket breaks away from his happy ending to join his band in performance amidst mannequin
Mannequin
A mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and others especially to display or fit clothing...
s at a rural church, Saint Albans in Teddington, which has since become an art gallery. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." improved upon the first single's success in the United Kingdom, hitting number one and remaining there for two weeks in January 1986. It was a top-10 hit nearly everywhere it was released except in the United States, where it peaked at #20 and would be the band's last major hit to date in that country. The single sold 5 million copies around the world. The track was remixed as a dance version, which was a top-5 hit on the U.S. Dance chart, and B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
to the single and remix was the otherwise unreleased "Driftwood."
"Train of Thought
Train of Thought (a-ha song)
"Train of Thought" is a song by Norwegian new wave band A-ha. It was released as the fourth single off the Hunting High and Low album. The lyrics for this song were based on the existentialist authors and poets Gunvor Hofmo, Knut Hamsun and Fyodor Dostoevsky - Pål's favourites at the time.It was...
" saw limited release as the third single in Europe. It was not released as a 7" in the United States but received rock radio play and a set of remixes again made the dance charts. Waaktaar based the lyrics for this song on existentialist authors and poets Gunvor Hofmo
Gunvor Hofmo
Gunvor Hofmo was a Norwegian writer, often considered one of Norway's most influential modernist poets.-Literary career:...
, Knut Hamsun
Knut Hamsun
Knut Hamsun was a Norwegian author, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. He was praised by King Haakon VII of Norway as Norway's soul....
and Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Mikhaylovich Dostoyevsky was a Russian writer of novels, short stories and essays. He is best known for his novels Crime and Punishment, The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov....
, his favourites at the time. It was A-ha's third consecutive Top 10 single in the United Kingdom and Ireland, reaching #8 and #5 respectively, and charting well in Germany and Sweden. World sales hit 500,000 copies.
The last single from the album was "Hunting High and Low", released in June 1986. The single saw its highest chartings in France, where it peaked at number four, and the United Kingdom, where it was number five. The single was released in the United States but did not make the Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. An extended version was available on 12" vinyl, but the midtempo track did not see dance chart success.
Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
, a band influenced by A-ha, has been known to perform "Hunting High and Low" in concert.
The "Take On Me" video was nominated for eight 1986 MTV Video Music Awards
1986 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1986 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 5, 1986, honoring the best music videos from May 2, 1985, to May 1, 1986. The show was hosted by MTV VJs Downtown Julie Brown, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, and Dweezil Zappa, and it emanated primarily from both The Palladium in New...
, and at the third annual ceremony September 5, 1986, the video won six awards, including Best New Artist and Viewer's Choice. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." was nominated for an additional three awards, winning two, for a total of eight wins. Even as the total number of categories has nearly doubled, only one other artist to date has won as many MTV Awards in a single year. Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
won nine the following year for "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time," two videos which progressed further down the roads A-ha ventured in groundbreaking use of animation in music video.
In 2002, "Take On Me" was ranked at number eight on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders, although this status is slightly misleading as it reflects A-ha's lack of mainstream success in the United States; the group was by no means a one-hit wonder elsewhere or in career terms. In 2006, "Take on Me" was ranked number 24 on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Greatest Songs of the 1980s.
The cover photograph was taken by Just Loomis and was nominated in 1986 for a Grammy as "Album Cover of the Year."
The band released a live version of "The Sun Always Shines on TV" in 2003.
Release and reception
Hunting High and Low was a-ha's breakout album. Upon its release in May 1985, Hunting High and Low peaked at number 15 on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Top 200 album chart. The album granted A-ha international recognition. Hunting High and Low got 3x platinum status in the UK and Platinum status in the United States and Germany, and Gold status in Brazil, and the Netherlands.
The album peaked at 15 in the U.S., according to Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
music charts and has sold about 1.8 million copies in the U.S. It peaked at 2 on the UK charts, and hit 1 in Norway. The album has been certified platinum in the United States and 3x platinum in UK.
Beginning with the single "Take On Me", A-ha's debut album sold more than eight million copies worldwide and spawned two number one hits. In the fall of 1986, "Take On Me
Take on Me
"Take on Me" is a song by the Norwegian pop band A-ha. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's first studio album Hunting High and Low, released in 1985...
" and "The Sun Always Shines on TV" were nominated for 11 MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Video Awards combined, and A-ha won eight of these.
Tim DiGravina of AllMusic Guide said "It's a cohesive album with smart pace changeups, and it rarely fails to delight or satisfy a listener's need for a synth pop fix... One can't escape the feeling that Hunting High and Low is a product of the 1980s, but with highs like 'Take On Me' and 'The Sun Always Shines on TV,' and no lows in sight, A-ha's debut is a treat worth relishing."
The album has sold more than ten million copies worldwide.
Hunting High and Low Tour
In June 1986, A-haA-ha
A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
began a world tour which went through August 1987. The band had never played a single concert when "Take On Me
Take on Me
"Take on Me" is a song by the Norwegian pop band A-ha. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's first studio album Hunting High and Low, released in 1985...
" shot to #1 in America; soon it could boast a 16-country, 113-city tour under its belt along with countless interviews and television appearances.
Remaster
On 6 May 2010, the band announced the remaster and re-release of the album. The two disc album will comprise of the original album and four 12" tracks on one disc, while the second will feature 19 rare demos and unreleased songs from this era. The album is expected to be released near the end of June 2010.On July 6, 2010 the albums Hunting High and Low and Scoundrel Days
Scoundrel Days
Scoundrel Days is the second full-length album by the new wave pop/rock band A-ha. It was released on 6 October 1986 through Warner Bros. Records...
was released as deluxe editions in the USA through Rhino Records and both albums debuted in the top 40 Billboard Top Internet Sales Chart. Hunting High and Low at # 34 and Scoundrel Days
Scoundrel Days
Scoundrel Days is the second full-length album by the new wave pop/rock band A-ha. It was released on 6 October 1986 through Warner Bros. Records...
at # 36.
Track listing
All songs written by Pål Waaktaar unless noted otherwise:- "Take on MeTake on Me"Take on Me" is a song by the Norwegian pop band A-ha. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's first studio album Hunting High and Low, released in 1985...
" – 3:48 (Waaktaar/Furuholmen/Harket) - "Train of ThoughtTrain of Thought (a-ha song)"Train of Thought" is a song by Norwegian new wave band A-ha. It was released as the fourth single off the Hunting High and Low album. The lyrics for this song were based on the existentialist authors and poets Gunvor Hofmo, Knut Hamsun and Fyodor Dostoevsky - Pål's favourites at the time.It was...
" – 4:14 - "Hunting High and Low" – 3:45
- "The Blue Sky" – 2:36
- "Living a Boy's Adventure Tale" – 5:00 (Waaktaar/Harket)
- "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.The Sun Always Shines on T.V."The Sun Always Shines on T.V." is a song by Norwegian pop band A-ha. It was released as the third single from the band's debut album, Hunting High and Low. In many countries the single was not as successful as the band's previous, "Take on Me", which hit #1 in the U.S. and several countries around...
" – 5:08 - "And You Tell Me" – 1:51
- "Love Is Reason" – 3:04 (Waaktaar/Furuholmen)
- "I Dream Myself Alive" – 3:06 (Waaktaar/Furuholmen)
- "Here I Stand and Face the Rain" – 4:30
2010 deluxe edition
Disc 1- "Take on Me"
- "Train of Thought"
- "Hunting High and Low"
- "The Blue Sky"
- "Living a Boy's Adventure Tale"
- "The Sun Always Shines on T.V."
- "And You Tell Me"
- "Love Is Reason"
- "I Dream Myself Alive"
- "Here I Stand and Face the Rain"
- "Take on Me" (original 7" version 1984)
- "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (Extended mix)
- "Train of Thought" (U.S. mix)
- "Hunting High and Low" (Extended remix)
Disc 2
- "Take on Me" (demo)
- "Train of Thought" (demo)
- "Hunting High and Low" (demo)
- "The Blue Sky" (demo)
- "Living a Boy's Adventure Tale" (early version)
- "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (demo)
- "And You Tell Me" (demo)
- "Love Is Reason" (demo)
- "I Dream Myself Alive" (demo)
- "Here I Stand and Face the Rain" (demo)
- "Stop! And Make Your Mind Up"
- "Driftwood"
- "Dot the I"
- "The Love Goodbye"
- "Nothing to It"
- "Go to Sleep"
- "Monday Mourning"
- "All the Planes That Come In on the Quiet"
- "Never Never"
- "What's That You're Doing to Yourself"
- "You Have Grown Thoughtful Again"
- "Lesson One" (Autumn 1982 "Take on Me" demo)
- "Presenting Lily Mars"
There are also four bonus download-only tracks on each release, available in most countries:
- "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (extended version)
- "Take on Me" (Instrumental Mix)
- "Hunting High and Low (slow version demo)
- "Take on Me" (1984 12" Mix)
Personnel
- Morten HarketMorten HarketMorten Harket is a Norwegian musician, best known as the lead singer of the Norwegian synthpop/rock band A-ha, which released nine studio albums and topped the charts in several countries after their breakthrough hit "Take on Me" in 1985. A-ha disbanded in 2010. Harket has also released four solo...
– vocals - Magne FuruholmenMagne FuruholmenMagne 'Mags' Furuholmen is a Norwegian musician. He is best known as the guitarist and keyboardist of the pop band A-ha.-A-ha:Furuholmen has been the keyboardist with A-ha since their formation in 1982, though he also plays guitar...
– keyboards, vocals - Pål WaaktaarPaul Waaktaar-SavoyPaul Waaktaar-Savoy is a Norwegian musician and songwriter. He is best known for his work as guitarist in the Norwegian pop band A-ha...
– guitars, vocals - Bobby Hata – MasteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- John Ratcliff – Producer, Remixing, Keyboards, vocals
- Alan TarneyAlan TarneyAlan Tarney is an English songwriter, record producer and bass guitarist. He was born in Workington, Cumberland, England, but spent his teenage years in Adelaide, Australia where he met his songwriting and musical partner Trevor Spencer.- Career :Tarney was part of the huge influx of British...
– Producer - Tony MansfieldTony MansfieldTony Mansfield, born May 28, 1943, Salford, England, is an English songwriter, musician and record producer. Mansfield was the main songwriter/producer for New Musik, a synthpop band that performed from 1979 to 1982.-References:...
– Producer - Jeffrey Kent Ayeroff – Art Direction, Design
- Neill KingNeill KingNeill King is a record producer and recording engineer. He studied classical music and trumpet on leaving Wimbledon College, then trained as a recording engineer at Eden Studios, Chiswick, London, before working throughout the UK and Europe with artists such as Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Madness,...
– Engineer - Jeri McManus – Art Direction, Cover Design, Design
- Bob LudwigBob LudwigBob Ludwig is an American mastering engineer.He is a well known and respected figure within the music industry. His name is credited on the covers of albums released across the world, and he has won numerous awards....
- Mastering - Just Loomis – Photography
Album
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Swiss Album Charts Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
10 |
| Austrian Album Charts Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
18 |
| Swedish Albums Chart Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
1 |
| Norwegian Album Chart Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
1 |
| German Album Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
10 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
15 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
2 |
| Italian Album Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
17 |
| Canadian Album Chart RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
12 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Sales/shipments |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 3x Gold | 750,000 |
| UK | 3x Platinum | 900,000 |
| USA | Platinum | 1,800,000 |
Singles
| Year | Name | Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | "Take on Me Take on Me "Take on Me" is a song by the Norwegian pop band A-ha. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's first studio album Hunting High and Low, released in 1985... " |
US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 1 | ||
| Swedish Singles Chart | 1 | ||
| Austrian Singles Chart | 1 | ||
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 | ||
| German Singles Chart | 1 | ||
| Italian Singles Chart | 1 | ||
| British Singles Chart | 2 | ||
| Irish Singles Chart | 2 | ||
| French Singles Chart | 3 | ||
| "The Sun Always Shines on TV" | US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
20 | |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 2 | ||
| Swedish Singles Chart | 2 | ||
| Austrian Singles Chart | 8 | ||
| Swiss Singles Chart | 7 | ||
| British Singles Chart | 1 | ||
| Irish Singles Chart | 1 | ||
| French Singles Chart | 10 | ||
| German Singles Chart | 5 | ||
| Italian Singles Chart | 11 | ||
| 1986 | "Train of Thought Train of Thought (a-ha song) "Train of Thought" is a song by Norwegian new wave band A-ha. It was released as the fourth single off the Hunting High and Low album. The lyrics for this song were based on the existentialist authors and poets Gunvor Hofmo, Knut Hamsun and Fyodor Dostoevsky - Pål's favourites at the time.It was... " |
British Singles Chart | 8 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 5 | ||
| German Singles Chart | 14 | ||
| "Hunting High and Low" | British Singles Chart | 5 | |
| Irish Singles Chart | 4 | ||
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 10 | ||
| French Singles Chart | 4 | ||
| Austrian Singles Chart | 24 | ||
| German Singles Chart | 11 | ||
| Italian Singles Chart | 10 |