This week’s theme, today through Friday, is beloved 80s songs that have memorable videos.
And when I told Alex about the theme, her immediate response was “Like A-Ha?”
I think ‘Take On Me’ might be the most memorable video in MTV history, at least for those of us who were around when MTV first launched. It’s the first video I can remember that complemented the song so well that you almost couldn’t conceive of listening to it separately. To this day, if I hear ‘Take On Me’ I immediately picture the lead singer passing behind that animation/reality screen and the cute blonde finding the crumpled up paper in the diner wastebasket.
It’s quite a feat to tell a sweet story in 3 minutes with no dialogue… fetching young woman, disconnected from the people around her, happens upon a portal into a two-dimensional universe where she is serenaded by a handsome Brit Norwegian. Trouble ensues and they appear to be separated forever, but he escapes into our world where they presumably live happily ever after.
I’ve seen 90-minute films with less involving and engaging plots. And it’s all set to a ridiculously catchy song and features special effects that somehow still seem cool two decades later.
This, of course, is the only thing of consequence A-Ha ever did. It’s enough.
Meet Me In Montauk 
Thanks for the wonderful flashback. I have hugely fond affection for this song and video.
I remember the song but I have never watched t he video, loved it!
This was a WONDERFUL way to start my morning and my week. One of my all time favorite songs and videos – the nostalgia is overwhelming!
One small correction, he’s a handsome Norwegian, but that’s just a trifling matter. 🙂 I am really looking forward to this week’s theme. No other music has kept such a strong place in my musical heart as “typical 80’s” stuff.
SIde Note: I will be looking for two other songs that stand out to me for this category. I won’t mention them so as to not spoil what you’ve got in mind, but I will let you know about them at the end of the week. 🙂
Almost forgot – my favorite part (and the most memorable for me) is the end when he’s trying to get into the “real” world. What a great concept for a video. LOVE IT!
Love the song. Love the video. Am having huge waves of nostalgia sweep over me.
On another note, as I watched the so familiar opening of this video, I found myself thinking of Twilight’s Edward and all the endless flair that claims him as the reader’s fictional boyfriend. The girl who is uninvolved in the world around her to the point she wants to move to Forks and fall in love with a vampire. Or a cute Norwegian. Whichever the case may be.
Regardless, this video is a classic, and I look forward to a week reflecting fondly on my high school and college years.
When did you add the Search bar feature, as it is truly a godsend.
It’s been there from the start. Only way I’m able to make sure I never write about the same song twice!
👍🏼👍🏼 Guess we readers just didn’t have as much cause to search back then. ;). Off to see if Berkner was ever featured.