Cover Versions

Squawker's Band - Os Grandes Sucessos Do A-HA (1989)

In Brazil there was an LP by "Squawker's Band featuring 10 cover versions of a-ha songs. The cover shows a live shot of a-ha on stage. The title is printed in small letters in the top right hand corner with A-HA in large orange letters. The band's name is printed in the bottom left hand corner.

Tracks: Take On Me (3:41) / Hunting High And Low (3:46) / Touchy! (4:28) / The Sun Always Shines On T.V. (4:36) / Manhattan Skyline (4:10) // The Living Daylights (4:04) / The Blood That Moves The Body (4:07) / Train Of Thought (3:59) / Stay On These Roads (4:52) / You Are The One (3:43)

Falling From Mars - a tribute to a-ha (1991?)

Phase Generator - Loving You (1994)

This two track CD-single by the German(?) techno group "Phase Generator" is a cover version of "Take On Me" with a different title.

The cover of the CD features a pink abstract design with orange titles. It includes the "Station Edit" (3:55) and "Club Mix" (6:00).

There is also a four track 12" which has "Loving You" in big red letters with white hearts printed across the sleeve. It features the "Sequencer Impact Mix" (5:06), "Peace Version Mix" (3:55), "Ethno Voice Mix" (4:39) and "Club Mix" (6:00).

MxPx - On The Cover (02.95)

The gospel, punk band "MxPx" released an EP of cover versions including "Take On Me". The cover features a colour picture of the band looking at the camera, with the title in black letters at the top. More pictures of the band are featured inside the insert. The reverse is white with titles in large blue letters. The disc is white with black titles.

Tracks: Summer Of 69 (2:21) / Oh Boy (2:03) / Drum Machine Joy (3:35) / You Found Me (2:32) / Take On Me (3:36) / Marie,Marie (1:51) / You Put This Love In My Heart (1:47) / No Brain (2:37)

Diva - The Sun Always Shines On T.V. (25.07.95)

The Norwegian duo Diva released this cover version on CD-single and 12" in the UK and on two different CD singles in Norway. There was a further CD single released in Germany and a double 12" promo.

The cover of the UK CD single and 12" is honey coloured with a picture of Diva and the title written in blue. The back of the insert of the CD-single is greeny blue with large blue "Diva" logo with orange trim plus the tracks printed in blue. The CD itself is bright pink with a large blue-edged silver "Diva" logo and the tracks written in blue.

There is also a UK cassette single which features the "Original Version" (4:54) and the "Perfecto Mix" (8:05). The front cover is similar to the CD single, the inside of the insert is blue with a large yellow Diva logo, the tracks listed in dark blue and additional information in yellow. The spine is blue with dark blue title and eastwest logo plus catalogue number in yellow. The cassette itself is transparent and black with white text. It plays the same on both sides.

There is a DJ promo CD-single which has a similar cover to the regular UK release, but has a white spine rather than a blue one. The reverse of the sleeve differs from the regular release, being pink with blue and white titles, of similar design to the actual disc.

The covers of the Norwegian singles are similar to each other. They are blue with a white border and a picture of Diva. Their logo is printed on a white circle in the bottom left corner. One of the singles has "REMIX" written in white letters above the Diva logo but apart from that they are almost identical.
Again these CDs just contain mixes of "The Sun Always Shines On TV". One CD features "Radio Edit" (4:58) and "Long Version" (6:15). The "Remix" CD features "Remix" (4:58), "Club Mix" (6:15) and "Original Mix" (4:58).

The reverse of the sleeve also differs from the UK release, instead of being greeny blue with coloured titles, the reverse of the sleeve of the Norwegian release is white with a picture of a can of "Diva" tomatoes and a can of "Diva" baked beans! The titles are printed in coloured letters above. The discs also differ being light grey with "Diva" printed in light blue on the right hand side rather than bright pink.

The cover of the German release is similar to the UK release but features the following seven remixes of "The Sun Always Shines On TV": "Radio Edit" (3:23), "Crucial Club Mix" (5:18), "Perfecto Mix" (8:05), "Sunshine Mix" (6:24), "Crucial Hard Dub Mix" (5:53), "Original Version" (4:54) and "Crucial Club Edit" (3:42).

There was also a special edition 4-sided German made 12" maxi release. It comes in a plain white sleeve without any information, just a small WB-logo pressed into the back of the sleeve in the lower right corner. The discs feature the following 7 versions of "The Sun Always Shines On T.V.":
Disc 1: Perfecto Mix (8:08) / Radio Edit (3:23) // Sexy Disco Dub (9:08)
Disc 2: Sunshine Mix (6:10) / Sunshine Instrumental Mix (6:10) // Volcano Club Edit (3:31) / Volcano Club Mix (6:03)

Aqua Luna - Take On Me ('95)

The German, techno band "Aqua Luna" released a 3 track single and a 12" featuring cover mixes of "Take On Me". The sleeve of this release is purple and orange with a cartoon drawing of Morten and Bunty taken from the "Take On Me" video. "Aqua Luna" is printed in green and yellow 'glowing' letters in the top right hand section of the sleeve while "Take On Me" is printed in large light and dark green letters at the bottom.

The CD-single and 12" both feature the following mixes of "Take On Me" - "Radio version" (3:47), "Esoteric Mix" (6:14) and "Nuhpop Mix" (7:37).

Spectrum - Take On Me ('95?)

The sleeve of the single is purple with a pink flying saucer (?) in the middle. The title is printed in pink letters towards the top of the sleeve. The reverse is black, again with the 'glowing' pink title plus additional pink, yellow and white text. It features the following mixes of "Take On Me" - "Radio version" (3:52), "Take Mix" (5:39) and "On Mix" (5:52) plus the Song "Deep (Xamix)" (3:52).

Hymn - Har en Drøm (1996)

This album of instrumental ballards was released in Norway. It features versions of "A Kind Of Christmas Card" and "Hunting High And Low". The album doesn't have a front sleeve (to be confirmed), but the CD is a picture disc featuring a shot of a white dove coming into land. The title is in white and pink letters at the top of the disc. The back sleeve also features the picture of the dove with the tracks and song writers listed in white and pink text.

Savoy - Velvet (13.05.96)

Paul Waaktaar Savoy covered himself on this single by including the a-ha song "October". The cover of the CD single of "Velvet" has an orangy yellow picture of a hand on guitar strings. The back of the insert has an orangy yellow picture of Pal's holding a guitar of which you can only see the middle section, with blue track listings.

Sigurd Køhn - More Pepper, Please (08.96)

Euro Traxx (01.10.96)

The band "Killer Shadows" did a cover version of "The Sun Always Shines On T.V." which was the first track on the compilation album called "Euro Traxx". This U.S. This album was released in the U.S. by St.Clair Entertainment group from Quebec, Canada. The band is a techno-dance group.

Penthouse Playboys - Sånn Skall Det Gjøres (09.96)

The Norwegian band "Penthouse Playboys" released an 11 track album in Norway which features a cover version of Morten's "A Kind Of Christmas Card" on track 1. The album also features the song "Millimeter", previously recorded by Anne Grete Preus with Morten Harket on backing vocals. It was released on the record label "Sonet".

Penthouse Playboys - A Kind Of Christmas Card (1996)

There is a radio promo 1-track CD single of the cover track "A Kind Of Christmas Card" (3:33) by Penthouse Playboys released in Norway. The CD-single does not have a picture sleeve but a photo of the vocalist Jens Pikenes (where he poses just like Morten used to do back in the old days!) on the CD itself. "Penthouse Playboys" is printed in large dark purple letters over a pink heart at the top of the disc with the rest of the titles in pink underneath. It was released on "Sonet" record label and comes in a black Sonet sleeve.

Interactive - The Sun Always Shines On TV (96)

A cover version by German dance band "Interactive".

The cover is white with pictures of the band memebers plus a microwave oven (?) against a green background which is itself inside a black outlined rectangle. The title in greeny / blue letters is printed underneath. The reverse of the insert is white with another picture of the microwave in the centre and titles above and below. The disc is white and black with white titles.

Tracks: Sun always Shines On TV (Radio Version) (3:21) / Sun Always Shines On TV (Extended Club Mix) (5:42) / Interactive (5:04) / Come Over (4:42)

Captain Jack - Mission ('96)

Captain Jack released a techno version of "Take On Me". It was track 7 on the 15 track CD album "Mission". The album was released on the label CDL and distributed by EMI Svenska AB.

Tracks: Mission / Sir yes sir / Captain jack / Soldier soldier / Little boy / Drill instructor / Take on me / Captains dream / Jack in da house / Back home / Shes a lady / Captain jack remix / Drill instructor remix / Jack in da house / Final countdown

London Symphony Orchestra Presenterer Norske Popklassikere (97)

The cover of this album features a swan taking off from the water with a royal blue background. The text is written in gold and white letters. Track 11 features the orchestral version of "Hunting High And Low" (3:42). The inside of the sleeve is gold coloured with the large letters "LSO" plus track listings and credits written over the top in white and black. The reverse is royal blue with white text. The disc is gold coloured with white text.

Tracks: Har en Drøm (3:55) / Kjærlighet (4:48) / Lys og varme (3:52) / Waiting For The Morning (4:54) / Vinsjan På Kaia (4:01) / Long December Nights (5:20) / Cries Like A Baby (4:54) / Cheerio (3:21) / Det Vakreste Som Finns (4:59) / Just Missed The Train (3:46) / Hunting High And Low (3:42) / Se Ilden Lyse (3:37)

Double X - Hunting High And Low (??)

A dance version of "Hunting High And Low" was released by the Italian group "Double X". The cover of this single is dark blue and features a photograph of horses running through water. "Double X" is printed in large red and white-edged yellow letters at the top with "Hunting High And Low" printed in red-edged white letters below. "Club Mix" is printed in white-edged yellow letters at the bottom.