What romance should look like!

Back in the mid-eighties, a music video came out that perfectly captured what my young mind thought romance ought to be: dramatic, urgent, star-crossed…semi-animated. Partially set in a diner, partially set inside a comic book. Dripping with synth. Do take a couple minutes to travel back to 1984 for A-ha’s Take On Me, the most romantic music video ever. So worth the short ad, considering my best friend and I used to wait hours for this to come on MTV.

P.S. Did anyone else think he was hotter as a cartoon?

About Cara McKenna

Cara McKenna writes smart erotica—sexy stories with depth. Read more >
This entry was posted in Music and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

7 Responses to What romance should look like!

  1. Ridley says:

    Oh, that was fun! I *loved* that video as a little girl.

    Thanks for the reminder.

  2. Penelope says:

    That’s a classic and one of the best of the 80’s. Good choice!

  3. Edie Danford says:

    Yes! A vivid slice o’ the look o’ romance I’m thinking. Guy I had a major crush on played this song endlessly when it came out (but only when he was drunk which was, um, often). Interestingly, he looked a lot like the A-Ha dude–the line-y one moreso than the real thing. :). And the falsetto! That glorious falsetto screeches romance.

  4. Ruthie Knox says:

    I’ve never been able to figure out any of the words to that song’s chorus. “Take on me / take me on / gibberish” is the best I can do. But such a fun video. And so much hair!

    • Cara McKenna says:

      The chorus was the only bit I could understand!

      “Taaake…on…me… [take on me!]
      Taaake…me…on… [take on me!]
      I’ll beeeee goooone…
      In a day or twooooooo!!!”

      I guess that’s not very illuminating, meaning-wise. But they’re Swedish. Or Norwegian? I’m sure it makes sense in a cultural context.

  5. willaful says:

    Definitely hotter as a cartoon. It was such a pleasure to find this in one of my DDR games — though alas, edited.

    Have you seen the literal video version? I still find myself singing “Pipe wrench fiiiiiight!” http://www.collegehumor.com/video/3621423/take-on-me-the-literal-version