Hello friends, and thanks for checking out the latest audio offering on Kyle's All-New Radio Dial! Tonight, we combine our love of '80s top 40 and our growing interest in modern tunes, to spotlight a pop classic which was reborn earlier this year, and in the process, sounds fresh and new once more. Read on for Weezer's take on... "Take on Me"!
Originally recorded by Norwegian synthpop trio A-ha in 1984, and topping the singles chart all over the world the following year, California based Weezer, who made their debut in 1993 with the alt-rock classic LP "Weezer (The Blue Album)", selected “Take on Me” to be among the many inclusions on their 2019 covers LP “Weezer (The Teal Album)”, a surprise release dropped just five weeks before their planned album of original material, “Weezer (The Black Album)”. There is definitely a trend in their album titles, to be sure!
Now Weezer hasn’t deviated too far from the sound of the original here. I find the lyrics are easier to understand than in the original, (probably due the absence of A-ha lead singer Morten Harket’s Norwegian accent) and the instrumental bridge portion has been recast with more of a hard rock flair.
The video is well worth watching as it takes place in 1985, with a teenage Rivers Cuomo and his bandmates working on a version of A-ha’s hit in Rivers’ living room. The young Cuomo and friends are played by the members of the real life band Calpurnia, an up-and-coming indie rock group led by Stranger Things actor Finn Wolfhard.
Additionally, the original award winning A-ha music video (you know the one) is referenced several times via rotoscoped sketch animation that pays tribute to the memorable visuals of the 1985 MTV staple.
The Radio Dial daughter, Zoey, absolutely loves watching the video for this. Her favorite part is when “the girl really rocks out", and she’s also told me that Rivers’ house seen here is the coolest house ever.
Sure, “Take on Me” is a well-worn, clichéd ‘80s classic that always seems to be on the radio or in a movie somewhere, but I really dig Weezer’s take, possibly even more so than their excellent viral version of Toto’s “Africa” from last year. Check it out, and tell me what you think. And stay tuned to the Dial for coverage of an excellent overlooked 2017 single from one half of one of the '90s most loved Britpop groups. See you then!
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