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-   -   What do these lyrics mean? (http://www.corfid.com/vbb//showthread.php?t=17209)

Shutup and Deal, I'm Losin' 12-30-2006 12:52 PM

A catchy tune, but what do you think the artist had in mind when these lyrics were written? :confused:

Talking away
I don't know what I'm to say
I'll say it anyway
today's another day to find you
Shying away
I'll be coming for you love O.K.

Take on me
Take me on
I'll be gone
in a day or two

So needless to say I'm odds and ends
But that's me, stumbling away
Slowly learning that life is O.K.
Say after me
It's no better to be safe than sorry.

Take on me
Take me on
I'll be gone
in a day or two.

The things that you say
Is it live or just to play
My worries away
You're all the things I've got to remember
You shying away
I'll be coming for you anyway

Take on me
Take me on
I'll be gone
in a day or two

Borderstone 01-07-2007 07:56 PM

Hey "Deal",that's "Take On Me" by the Norwegian group A-Ha from the fall of 1985. :0 (One of 2 top 40 hits they had into Feb of 1986).

I think the overall statement is that he's trying to get this girl to like him but she's being really shy and withdrawn and not giving him a lot to work with.

...and what little she does say or do,is kind of a tease or girlish playfulness. I think he's saying c'mon be with me or I'll leave you and start again elsewhere

...but on the other hand he's also saying he'll be coming for her love anyway. :confused:

Truthfully,I don't think there's any "real" message here. A-ha was one of the first "video-only" groups. They recorded this song,made the really great 1/2 animated/half real life video and had 15 minutes of fame.

I saw them perform on The American Music Awards in '86 and the lead singer looked incredibly nervous (they'd never been "live" on stage!) Thankfully his & their vocals lived up to the hype. :)

The song is just typical '80s,more about image than substance. Probably why after their 2nd hit "The Sun Always Shines On T.V." (#20) they faded right back out of the spotlight.

I still have my 2 45's of those and their last real hit "Cry Wolf" #50 in late '86.

Winter's Claw 01-08-2007 01:42 AM

I've never thought the lyrics had much meaning in this song, but I think it's one of those songs that is open to interpretation. Has anyone ever tried to sing this song, with that ascending melody in the chorus leading up to all those falsetto notes? It's ridiculously difficult. The singer had an incredible vocal range!

Jenney 01-08-2007 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Winter's Claw:
Has anyone ever tried to sing this song, with that ascending melody in the chorus leading up to all those falsetto notes? It's ridiculously difficult. The singer had an incredible vocal range!
I can't say I've ever read the lyrics to that song before, so I can't give any opinion on what the meaning is. I can agree on the vocal range though! I was at a party last month where after a lot of sangria, there was a lot of singing going on. Sort of like a bad karoake night! Someone had this song and played it. It's an incredibly catchy song, so about 7 of us started singing. All was fun and games till we got to that last note of the chorus.
Still trying to recover from that horrible sound!

Borderstone 01-08-2007 04:46 PM

Well I'd like to thank "Deal" for posting the words. I've heard the song for 21 years and never "really" knew them.

As for singing it? I can do the lower main lyrics and then the title/chourus line,"Taaake Ohhhn Meeeee",taaaake meeeee o-h-h-n!"
"I'll beeee go-h-h-n-e,and then almost but not quite getting that note that's akin to yodeling!" :D LOL!

Sort of like if Barry Gibb tried it. LOL!

The video (at the time) was nothing short of amazing. Still is kind of. Some lonely young girl is sitting aloone in a coffee shop,reading some kind of action/comic book,
and all of a sudden the main character's animated hand reaches out and basically invites her into the B & W world he lives in.

She can only see him in living color through some kind of opposite efect looking glass/mirror. They're chased by militant like policemen and he helps her escape through a page tear and she emerges back in the coffee shop.
Much to the surprise of the customers & workers.

She grabs up her crumpled book (the waitress thought she skipped out)from the trash and heads home fast. She sees that he's not in there but then looks up and sees he's in her apt.

If you've ever seen the movie Altered States,the lead singer of the group re-creates this when his anitmated character slams back & forth against the walls trying to become "real". He succeeds and they can be together.

Maybe that means Take on me,means give me a chance or a try,I'm trying...why aren't you?

Pretty awesome effects. :)

[ January 08, 2007, 15:54: Message edited by: Borderstone ]

Jennifer 01-08-2007 05:41 PM

I like this song a lot from Ah-ha. The guy had a nice voice, and he was a cutie-pie too ;)

Well I'm not expert at analyzing lyrics but to me the lyrics are encouraging someone to not be shy and to seize the opportunity because it won't be there long. The message of the video, although obviously a fantasy scenario, seems to be consistent with this as well.


Affair on Touhy Ave. 01-08-2007 07:47 PM

Never thought about this one but there are plenty of songs that are hard to understand.

I means how do you explain Brian Adams. Cuts Like a Life but it feels so right?

Strange to me.

[ January 09, 2007, 18:32: Message edited by: Affair on Touhy Ave. ]

Borderstone 01-08-2007 08:08 PM

Bryan Adams?

He's saying that despite the fact that they (man/woman) argue and have disagrements,hurts,he can't help but still be in love with her and her with him.

She says she's leaving but (typical guy) he "knows" she's not! :rolleyes:

Even sillier than that was "Summer Of '69". bryan sings about him & his friends having a band that summer and how he bought his first guitar that year. Really? :confused:
Bryan...you were born in 1959! :rolleyes: That would make you 10! :D LOL! Hoo-boy!

[ January 09, 2007, 19:07: Message edited by: Borderstone ]


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