The origin of the name a-ha comes from the lyric of an early song. After checking dictionaries in several languages, they found out that 'a-ha' was an international way of expressing recognition, with positive connotations. It was short, a-ha was easy to say and somewhat unusual.
"Take on Me" was the first song Morten Harket heard Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy created. At that time the song was called "Lesson One." After multiple re-recordings and two failed releases, "Take on Me" became a hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 1985. Although their first release of the song in 1984 was not a major success, it was remixed by producer Alan Tarney a year later, and sold 1.5 million copies worldwide in one week. Eventually the single "Take on Me" is estimated to have sold 7-9 million copies worldwide; it peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number two in the UK Singles Chart. Sales were aided in the U.S. by a music video on MTV that mimicked the truck chase from Terry Gilliam's movie Brazil and the climactic scene from the Ken Russell film Altered States. The video used a sketchy animation / live action combination called "Rotoscoping" that tells a fantasy thriller story to the song. At the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards "Take on Me" won in six categories. It was also nominated for Best Video of the Year at 1986 American Music Awards. As of February 2020, the official video has surpassed 1 billion views on YouTube.
The follow-up single to "Take on Me" was "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.". In the U.S., the song peaked at number twenty on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number seventeen on Radio & Records airplay chart. In addition, the music video for the song won in two categories at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards.
a-ha's American success culminated in their 1986 Grammy nomination in a coveted Best New Artist category which was eventually won by Sade.
"The Sun Always Shines on TV" turned out to be A-ha's last Billboard Top 40 single, and to this day in the United States a-ha is mostly remembered by the general public only because of the singularly huge success of "Take on Me". Hunting High and Low (1985), which contained "The Sun Always Shines on TV" and "Take on Me," was a worldwide bestseller. In the U.S., it sold more than a million copies and acquired platinum certification by RIAA. As of 2005, Hunting High and Low has sold 8 million copies worldwide.
a-ha's second album was Scoundrel Days (1986) and represented a move towards alternative rock as synthpop began to fall out of style. In 1987, they provided the title song for the James Bond film The Living Daylights. Stay on These Roads (1988) received more mixed reviews than the previous albums. In spite of a drastic decline in sales in the next few years, a-ha continued to record two more albums, East of the Sun, West of the Moon (1990) and Memorial Beach (1993). East of the Sun, West of the Moon featured a cover version of The Everly Brothers 1963 single, "Crying in the Rain".
Because of apparent internal conflicts between the band members and conflict with the record label at the time, A-ha split in 1994 and their members started focusing on solo activities, but came together in 1994 to perform for the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. This performance included their song composed for the Winter Paralympics, "Shapes That Go Together".
After a very well-received performance of "The Sun Always Shines on TV" and a new song, "Summer Moved On", at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 1998, the band returned to the studio and recorded 2000's Minor Earth Major Sky, which resulted in a new tour, and a videocast performance of a-ha (with Briskeby) opening the new Vallhall stadium in Oslo. Sales of this album and 2002's Lifelines showed that their fanbase was still there, and also that they were able to attract new audiences, especially in Central Europe and Scandinavia, where the albums sold extremely well. They appeared again at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in 2001. a-ha's music video for the song, "I Wish I Cared" was the first fully web-based animated flash music video to be made available.
A live album (from their 2002 tour) with the title How Can I Sleep With Your Voice in My Head? was released in March of 2003, preceded by a live single of the 1986 classic "The Sun Always Shines on TV".
In 2004, an in-depth book entitled "The Swing Of Things" was published, also featuring a CD of early demo material. In 2004, a-ha celebrated their twentieth anniversary with the release of a new singles collection: The Definitive Singles Collection 1984-2004. This compilation brought them back into the UK Top 20 Album Charts, where they reached number thirteen. Over their career, a-ha have officially released 32 singles. 13 of these became top ten singles in the UK, and 14 singles have been number one on the radio lists over the world. The compilation included some of the highlights from a-ha’s last 20 years.
In September, a-ha returned to the U.S. (at Irving Plaza in New York City) for the band's first concert on American soil since 1986. A short impromptu performance of "Take on Me" occurred on September 11 in Times Square. On August 27, 2005, the band played a concert for 120,000 people in Frognerparken in Oslo, the largest concert ever in Norway.
On November 4, 2005, the band released its new studio album, Analogue. The first single "Celice" was released on October 4 in mainland Europe. Later that same month, a tour followed, with concerts in Brussels, France, Germany and the UK. The release of the track, "Analogue (All I Want)" followed in the UK in January 2006, giving a-ha its first top ten hit in the UK since 1988. The third single in Europe (second in the UK) from the album was the Magne Furuholmen penned "Cosy Prisons", already a live-staple in the band's set.
On the 30 October 2006 in London a-ha received the prestigious Q Inspiration Award for its long contribution to music and for inspiring many of their younger colleagues in the business.
In 2007 a-ha recorded a cover of John Lennon's "#9 Dream" for Amnesty International.
A ninth studio album, Foot Of The Mountain, was released in the summer of 2009. This more synth oriented album got a number five position in the UK in August 2009, and was No. 11 on the European album charts.
"Norway's most successful band through the years is splitting up for good!
After 9 studio albums with over 35 million albums sold, it`s over for the band."
A-ha had a press conference in Cologne 26.10.09, the day before their last world tour kick-off in Lanxess Arena. The last concert was in Oslo Norway. The concert ion 4 December 2010 at the Oslo Spektrum.
On March 21, 2015, it was confirmed in national Norwegian newspapers that a-ha has reunited. Their tenth studio album, Cast in Steel, was released in 2015.
The Sun Always Shines On T.V.
a-ha Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How can it be
Believe me
The sun always shines on TV
Hold me
Close to your heart
Touch me
And give all your love to me
I reached inside myself and found
Nothing there to ease the
Pressure of my ever worrying mind
All my powers waste away
I fear the crazed and lonely
Looks the mirror's sending me these days
Touch me
How can it be
Believe me
The sun always shines on TV
Hold me
Close to your heart
Touch me
And give all your love to me
Please don't ask me to defend
The shameful lowlands of the way I'm drifting
Gloomily through time
I reached inside myself today
Thinking there's got to be some way
To keep my troubles distant
Touch me
How can it be
Believe me
The sun always shines on TV
Hold me
Close to your heart
Touch me
And give all your love to me
Hold me
Close to your heart
Touch me
And give all your love to me
To me
The lyrics of a-ha's "The Sun Always Shines on TV" depict a sense of loneliness and uncertainty. The singer longs for someone to touch him and hold him close to their heart, as he searches for an escape from his anxious and worrying mind. Through this song, it is suggested that even though the world around us can be dark and dismal, the sun always shines on television, providing a sense of hope and comfort.
In the second verse, the singer admits to feeling ashamed of the way his life is heading, and he describes himself as "crazed and lonely." The mirror he looks into sends him looks of desperation and loneliness, reflecting the feelings of the singer's isolated and depressed state of mind.
Despite its melancholic tone, the song ultimately offers a sense of hope. The chorus repeats the line, "The sun always shines on TV," reminding the listener that even in the darkest moments, there is always something out there to bring us some joy and comfort.
Line by Line Meaning
Touch me
The singer is requesting physical contact from his loved one.
How can it be
The singer seems to be in disbelief that he has found his love.
Believe me
The singer is trying to assure his love that what he's saying is the truth.
The sun always shines on TV
The singer is using a TV as a metaphor to describe the constant attention and spotlight he's receiving as a musician.
Hold me
The singer is again requesting physical contact from his loved one.
Close to your heart
The singer wants to feel that he is loved and cherished by his partner.
Touch me
The singer is requesting physical contact from his loved one a third time.
And give all your love to me
The singer is requesting that his partner shows him unconditional love.
I reached inside myself and found
The singer is reflecting on his inner self and what he's finding within.
Nothing there to ease the
The singer is acknowledging that there's nothing within himself to ease his worries and concerns.
Pressure of my ever worrying mind
The singer is under a lot of stress and has an anxious mind.
All my powers waste away
The singer is metaphorically losing his strength and vitality as he becomes more drained from his stress and anxiety.
I fear the crazed and lonely
The singer is scared of becoming crazy and isolated from others as a result of his mental struggles.
Looks the mirror's sending me these days
The singer is feeling like the reflection he sees in the mirror is a reflection of his mental and emotional state.
Please don't ask me to defend
The singer is begging his partner not to question or challenge him on his emotional state.
The shameful lowlands of the way I'm drifting
The singer is admitting to his partner that he's lost and struggling in his journey through life.
Gloomily through time
The singer is feeling down and blue as he moves through life's experience.
I reached inside myself today
The singer is reflecting on how he's tried to search for inner strength to fight against his anxiety.
Thinking there's got to be some way
The singer is hoping that there's some way to find inner peace and security.
To keep my troubles distant
The singer is seeking ways to keep his problems from getting in the way of his life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Pal Waaktaar
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@c.r.9795
LYRICS :
Touch me
How can it be
Believe me
The sun always shines on T.V.
Hold me
Close to your heart
Touch me
And give all your love
To me
To me...
I reached inside myself and found
Nothing there to ease the pressure
Of my ever worried mind
All my powers waste away
I fear the crazed and lonely looks
The mirror's sending me these days
Touch me
How can it be
Believe me
The sun always shines on T.V
Hold me
Close to your heart
Touch me
And give all your love
To me
Please don't ask me to defend
The shameful lowlands of the way
I'm drifting gloomily through time
(Touch me)
I reached inside myself today
Thinking there's got to be some way
To keep my troubles distant
Touch me
How can it be
Believe me
The sun always shines on T.V.
Hold me
Close to your heart
Touch me
And give all your love
To me
Hold me
Close to your heart
Touch me
And give all your love
To me
To me...
@alejolopera
what a video man ...!!... fantastic
@user-wq9zx8hg3s
Canciones que nunca olvidaras
@robertocortez5035
Jamas
@limlovely04
Never enough!!
@burkhardraum1956
Yes, it is 😀🎉🍷🇩🇪
@ziweiyuan
Criminally underrated song. I love that "Take on Me" has a billion views, but this song is magnificent and people are sleeping on it.
@krystallochan5136
Bro right lately I’ve been listening to their songs and I’ve always loved take on me but I think it’s just them and their music style I love. Like this song? THIS is a beautiful song wow
@ziweiyuan
@@krystallochan5136 If you're new to a-ha I also recommend their second album, Scoundrel Days. Here are a couple of videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbg4JFdcbY4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aFDXMSInzg
@Whoswho34
It was actually a hit then. It isn’t underrated at all just cause it doesn’t have 100M views
@guishe71
I think exactly the same.