Welcome to 'a-ha - ranking highs and lows', the project where two life-long a-ha fans have taken on the ambitious task of ranking all the band's songs from worst to best!
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Episode 25: The songs of Hunting High and Low ranked - as voted for by the fans (01:53:03)
‘I’m ranking hard to make you jealous / Ranking harder to make you stay’Dear a-ha friends,We thought it would take longer, but JP’s been editing all night, so why wait: here is episode 25 of a-ha: ranking highs and lows, where we – a little bit late – celebrate forty years with a-ha’s marvellous debut album, the legendary Hunting High and Low.And when we say “we couldn’t have done it without you”, we really mean it. It’s you — our listeners — who have voted for your favourite songs and shared your comments. That’s all we needed to put together another two hours of a-ha-themed entertainment to get you through Christmas 🎄In this episode, we ask the question that has baffled philosophers for ages: which is faster at self-identifying – a vegan, a triathlete, or an a-ha fan? We also get a strange vote and comment from a Danish guy by the name of Peter, recommend against public singing, and struggle with complex comments from very smart fans. And did Chris Martin actually vote and leave a comment? (Hint: no, he didn’t.)We also hear about phrases that make Jesper feel intelligent, JP argues Love Is Reason is a small stroke of genius, and one of our listeners introduces the word “badass” among the descriptors of a-ha’s songs. And can paper cups of coffee make you feel smart?In other words: this is the REAL celebration of a-ha’s first album, because the ranking and commenting is done by the fans for the fans. As always, if you enjoy this podcast, please help us spread the word by:👉 Subscribing wherever you listen (and rating the podcast)👉 Liking and following us on Facebook and Instagram (see below)👉 Sharing the episode with other a-ha fansIt all helps us get the show out to other fans who might not have discovered it yet.Our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rankingahaOur Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/rankingaha/Thank you for all the interaction, the downloads, the encouragement, and just being awesome in 2025. We’ll be back with more next year in some shape or form!All the best,JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer‘What can it mean? I’m ranking pictures of the sea’
Episode 24: Pål Waaktaar-Savoy Ranks the Making of Hunting High and Low (02:31:35)
‘And what am I supposed to rank now?’Dear a-ha friends,At a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows we are extremely proud to present another episode of the podcast that celebrates the wonderful music of a-ha, where our guest this time is none other than Pål Waaktaar-Savoy!Pål was kind enough to join us for a couple of hours to rank – in a semi-structured kind of way – his most memorable experiences from the making of Hunting High and Low. Get ready for an exclusive behind-the-scenes view as we talk to Pål about the songs, the people, the fans, and the ups and downs.Among other things, you will hear about the effect of 500 black-and-white posters, a balcony that threatened to collapse, a later hit song that borrowed chords from Driftwood, the curse of free clothes, the best position from which to listen to the album, how modesty cost Pål a quality guitar, the maximum amount of hissing that can be accepted in a studio, a producer with bat ears, and how to programme a Linn Drum in the time it takes to play a ping-pong match.We couldn’t be happier to share this conversation with you, and we hope that you will enjoy listening to it as much as we did making it.They say: “Never meet your heroes.” We say: “Then you need to get yourself some better heroes.”As always: if you enjoy this podcast, please make sure to subscribe to it wherever you listen, like our Facebook and Instagram pages, share the episode with other fans, and, if you feel like it, give us a rating and a comment. It all helps us to get the show out to other fans who might not have discovered it yet.Enjoy Pål’s stories about the making of Hunting High and Low.All the best,‘Love is ranking enough’
Episode 23: Morten Harket's best vocal performances - voted for by the fans (02:49:21)
‘You said that you were weak and I was strong / But I wasn’t strong enough / To let you rank’Dear a-ha friends,We wanted to celebrate Morten and his amazing voice, we asked for your help, and you delivered!So here they are: Morten Harket’s 30 best vocal performances as voted for by you, the listeners of a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows - all nicely packaged in almost 3 hours of Morten (and a-ha) madness!Apart from featuring the top 30 incredible performances by Morten, this episode also asks (and partially answers) the following questions:Is it annoying if someone sings the menu at a restaurant?Are Danes generally just smarter?What’s easier to create: A poll or a Pål?Does JP really never get any phone calls?Did we break the record for most frequent use of the word “goosebumps” in a single podcast episode?How many pushups can Jesper do in one set (according to himself)?Are we more a Miranda or a Samantha?Does ChatGPT do Peter’s homework?Is there an interlude?How many foreign names did we mispronounce?Can anyone hold a single note for 6 minutes?And much, much more...It’s been an absolute pleasure and a lot of fun making this episode, reading all your thoughtful comments, and now sharing the results with you. We owe you all a big thank you for taking part in the voting and/or listening to the episode. Hopefully you’ll enjoy it as much as we did!Remember to like and share the podcast if you think it could be interesting for other fans. And let’s continue to make this 40-year anniversary of Hunting High and Low a special one and keep celebrating the wonderful music of a-ha.All the best,JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer‘I'm coming home / No more ranking’
Episode 22: Sondre Lerche's top 36 a-ha songs (04:21:08)
‘And when she’s ranking by my side / Eyes closed, all knowledge trapped inside’Dear a-ha friends,We couldn’t be happier to set a new “personal best” when it comes to podcast episode length than with this latest edition of ‘a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows’. We are joined by none other than Sondre Lerche, one of Norway’s finest songwriters and artists and - importantly - an a-ha fan since the tender age of 4!In this latest episode he tells us about the tremendous impact a-ha had on him growing up, how he has both been inspired by a-ha but also consciously distanced himself from them as he was finding his own identity as an artist.In this episode you’ll experience true passion, discussions about sexy and not so sexy songs, if it matters or not that Morten is beautiful, why album closers are such important songs, which a-ha song that made Sondre cry on the train very recently (train ticket prices might have been a factor, but still), how Sondre feels about Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton, how some wine resulted in an impromptu cover of an a-ha song at a party, and much, much more. And why is Daddy wearing leather?Sondre is a great storyteller, knowledgeable about music, generous with his time, humorous, and just a lovely guest to have on the show. We hope you’ll enjoy it whether you take it in one big bite or nibble at it in bite sizes.Let’s continue to make this 40-year anniversary of Hunting High and Low a special one and keep celebrating the wonderful music of a-ha. We will do our best at least – and this time with Sondre Lerche!All the best,JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer‘I’ve done all I can do / All the rankings I’ve sent through’
Episode 21: From Basslines to Backstage - Jørun "JB" Bøgeberg ranks his biggest moments with a-ha (02:27:09)
‘Hey listen honey, something you should rank / This can’t wait’Dear a-ha friends,We are extremely proud to share this new episode of ‘a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows’ with you. We had the chance to catch up with Jørun Bøgeberg – a-ha’s bass player from 1990 to 1994, all-round cool dude and one of the nicest guys you’re likely to meet.In this episode, Jørun kindly shares his favourite moments from his time with a-ha, and we are just there for the ride. Among other things, you will hear a great impression of Magne, you will hear about a fake bass part that Jørun got credited for, and you’ll also learn which a-ha song he was likely the first person ever to listen to. You’ll hear a salad being prepared in the background, and you will find out if missing a couple of bass notes on stage at an a-ha concert has consequences.There are a couple of phone calls from Morten to Jørun at odd times, and we ALMOST tell you where you can find a real collector’s item. There are, of course, also memories of some great shows in South America, we play some lesser-known sound bites, and Jørun tries to decide if he played on a much-beloved demo song.In addition to that, you get some cool insights into working with our favourite trio, a new take on how a-ha felt about those 90s albums, and the modest party culture within the band despite some major achievements. And what is the story behind the nickname “Boogieberg”?We had a blast with Jørun, and we hope you’ll enjoy the episode and the stories from someone who’s played with a-ha on some of our absolute favourite albums and tours.As always, please like, subscribe, share, give us some nice reviews where you listen to your podcasts and all that algorithm-related tech stuff to make sure we get the episode out to as many a-ha fans as possible. Sharing is caring, and we do care a lot about a-ha!Let’s continue to make this 40-year anniversary of Hunting High and Low a special one and keep celebrating the wonderful music of a-ha. We will do our best at least – and this time with Jørun Bøgeberg!All the best,JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer‘You say you want to rank / You’re not the only one / Not the only one’
Episode 20: The 20 best a-ha songs chosen by guest star Ørjan Nilsson (02:37:14)
‘I went down to the ranking / Like a lamb to the slaughter’Dear a-ha friends,We are very proud to share with you this episode of ‘a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows’. Not only is it episode 20, but it is also our first episode to feature a guest star and guest ranker - none other than Norwegian journalist and author Ørjan Nilsson, the man behind three excellent books about our beloved a-ha members. Ørjan kindly agreed to create his very own list of the 20 best a-ha songs as well as sharing some interesting anecdotes about the book writing process.In this episode you can hear stories about police permits, which a-ha song is like a hand, why it’s Samantha Fox’s fault that young Ørjan had to listen to Scoundrel Days in his dad’s car, and how Ørjan ended up in Take On Me-producer Alan Tarney’s studio listening to an unreleased album by Morten. Honestly, if Ørjan wasn’t such a pleasure to talk to, we would have turned his microphone off out of sheer envy.There’s also the story about Morten lying on the couch (“lying” as in Morten being positioned horizontally, not as in him not telling the truth) while Ørjan reads to him. There are countless memories from a-ha concerts and life as an a-ha fan, and we get to hear about Ørjan’s fascination with celebrities and sports stars who hit rock bottom. There’s also a dog, and for once JP and Jesper do a bit less of the talking, so what’s not to like?We hope you’ll like the episode - we had a lot of fun making it at least - and as always please like, subscribe, share and all that algorithm jazz to make sure we get the episode out to as many a-ha fans as possible.Let’s make this 40-year anniversary of Hunting High and Low a special one and keep celebrating the wonderful music of a-ha. We will do our best - and this time with excellent contribution from Ørjan!All the best,JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer‘Ranking works a wrinkle over time’
Episode 19: Ranking the Magne album 'Living With Ourselves' (01:32:21)
“You’re hoping for rankings / Well, just look around / Everyone here is standing in line”Dear a-ha friends,It’s time we made good on our promise to record a new episode of ‘a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows’ - as far as we know the world’s only (and therefore arguably: best) podcast solely dedicated to the wonderful music of a-ha and their related solo projects. And this episode is of course a ranking of the songs from Magne’s new album ‘living with ourselves’ (and in case anyone is wondering: Yes, every cell in our bodies screams for us to begin the words with capital letters, but we can’t argue with artists, can we? Maybe we can).Anyway, it’s not a secret that we are rather fond of ‘living with ourselves’ so if you decided to press Play on this episode hoping to listen to three angry middle-aged men (us, not a-ha), you’ll be unpleasantly surprised. However, you will get to hear about currency exchange rates, Peter the Producer’s sneaky musical adventures as a young boy, a conversation at work that maybe robbed Jesper of a treasured item, and the idea for a band called “a-heatles” and a single called “Gospel from a Beatle”.We also speculate what it takes for a Magne to be a John, if 400.000 NOK is enough to send three people to Southern France to record an album, and how much time a-ha owes us back. We also talk a little about Depeche Mode, Babybird, Sting, and Tom Waits, and we talk a fair bit about a-ha and of course a lot about Magne.We hope you’ll like the episode and that it might even inspire a few of you who haven’t listened to the album yet - or only a few times - to give it some more spins (or streams, probably). And as always: we appreciate all the comments we get from you guys and guysettes so keep ‘em coming. Please also make sure to like, subscribe, share and whatever else it takes to become friends with the algorithm.We’ll surely find something else to rank eventually - this is a year to celebrate after all - so we’ll certainly be back. Until then!All the best,JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer“Your life is a podcast / The rankings are you”
Episode 18: Ranking the music videos (part 2 - From 20 to 1) (02:06:48)
In this episode we rank the 20 best music videos from a-ha. We also consider taking up synchronised swimming, we recall a sad day in 1991, and we have lengthy discussions about feet. We also hear about a cool gadget in Jesper’s teenage room, we discuss plot holes, find the optimal role for Morten in Hollywood, and speculate if slow-cooked wolf is a delicacy.We also do some book research, speculate who would get rescued on Noah’s ark today, recount JP’s stellar performance in a remake of a classic video, and use the word “cool” way too much. We also speculate who normally gets the idea to have Morten appear semi-naked in so many videos.There are also more cars, more girls and more animals in this episode, and we try to assess the chances of a-ha getting nominated for an Academy Award, and JP’s pronunciation of the word “tour” sounds increasingly like the German word for “door”. We also argue a bit about the top ranked video (a pointless argument, really), and we discuss if a-ha has done any good to the perception of what it means to be a nurse.Among all that we manage to also rank 20 videos, so there should still be plenty of a-ha related content to keep the listener engaged (we hope). It’s all sprinkled with the usual loving stabs at each other, Peter the Producer’s ability to cut through the discussions, and most of all: Love of a-ha, their music and their videos!We of course also have a Facebook page and an Instagram account where you can leave a comment or stay informed about upcoming episodes.
Episode 17: Ranking the music videos (part 1 - From 40 to 21) (01:44:51)
In this episode of "a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows" we revist the MUSIC VIDEOS to see which ones have stood the test of time, and which ones fall flat. Not surprisingly we have a lot to say, so we’ve split the ranking into two parts. The upside of that is that there will be another episode out very soon, and the downside is… well, there ARE no downsides, as far as we can see.In this first episode we’re covering the music videos ranked from 40 to 21 on our list. This means that we’re addressing various half-baked ideas, complain about exaggerated use of the frog perspective, try to summon ZZ Top, and remember some childhood toys that were popular among those of us at Ranking Highs and Lows who didn’t have MTV or cable in their childhood (that’s JP, in case you’re wondering).We’re also talking about clothes, and the lack thereof, and Peter the Producer pushes a video further up the list. Jesper and JP recall copying one of Morten’s most iconic outfits, and we’re speculating about a possible nomination for Pål in Farmer’s Digest. We’re also advising against being the guy who always brings his guitar to a bonfire, and Jesper complains about a video that he thinks was made in 20 minutes of spare time, while JP confesses his love of bad taste.We also complain about wasted opportunities (for a-ha, not for us), speculate about gasoline prices outside of Norway, get a sonic treat in Peter’s new cave, and praise a video so much that it sounds like it should be way higher up the list. We wonder if Magne ever felt like running over Morten with a car, and we’re missing an update to our Flash drive. And we wonder if Morten has a lot of callus on his fingertips.So once again we’ve found something to talk about, and just for your listening pleasure we’ve sprinkled plenty of Danish accents across the whole thing. But there’s also a lot of love, fun, and unwarranted speculation, just how we like it!We of course also have a Facebook page and an Instagram account where you can leave a comment or stay informed about upcoming episodes.
Episode 16: Ranking the Savoy album 'Under' (01:59:53)
In this episode of 'a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows' we rank the 10 songs on the album 'Under' by Savoy, the 2nd band by a-ha-guitarist Pål Waaktaar-Savoy.This time you get to hear Jesper and JP being quite offended, Peter the Producer has unwarranted hopes for a shorter podcast, and we mispronounce Frode Unneland in so many ways that it’s almost Guinness Book of Records-worthy.We also tip-toe around well-known music terms, we update you on the story of a clothes brand, and JP recalls the time he wore a skirt, and the times he hurt a fly. Meanwhile Jesper recalls the happy day when he found a Portuguese Eurovision song in a 2nd hand record store.Peter introduces us to the anatomy of a record, and it turns out that The Beatles may be more Savoy than Savoy.Jesper also puts forward some quite weak evidence, JP’s origami joke is received with limited applause, and Peter sneaks in a Bon Jovi reference.We also wonder about Pål’s order of doing things, we stretch the truth (reprehensible!), correctly identify a flute, and we try to listen behind the facade. JP also confesses his love for Little House on the Prairie, and Jesper sets up a rule for how many different styles a song needs to include in order to be epic. And Yngwie Malmsteen pops by as well.We of course also have a Facebook page and an Instagram account where you can leave a comment or stay informed about upcoming episodes.We hope you'll enjoy this deep dive into another wonderful album in the extended a-ha family.
Episode 15: Ranking the songs from MTV Unplugged Summer Solstice (02:08:22)
In this episode of "a-ha: ranking highs and lows" we’ve ranked the songs from ‘MTV Unplugged - Summer Solstice’ album, which we hope you’ve all had a chance to listen to. Otherwise maybe this episode can serve as an introduction.This time we go shopping for instruments with Mozart, Jesper invents a new superhero, and JP shares opinions about musical arrangements of which he has no clue. We also encounter a large selection of instruments that we give the wrong names. And how many choruses does Lifelines have now?We try to remove the feeling of hope from several songs, JP abandons computers for note-taking, and Jesper guesses 81 songs in 1 second, while Peter has his eyes on the strings section. And how much is Jesper’s kidney really worth?JP also quotes himself more than once, Jesper shares strong opinions about collaborations in music, and Peter serves a bitter soup. Jesper also grows thoughtful again and JP can’t say he likes it. And where is ‘You Are the One’?And of course we also find the time to rank the 21 songs on the MTV Unplugged album, so all in all we consider this a success as that was the whole point of this episode. Sometimes we forget, but that’s where Peter steps in.If you like what you hear then please recommend the podcast to other fans. We still get more followers with each episode (thank you!!) but we know there are still fans out there who we haven’t reached yet, so feel free to share the info about the podcast in fan forums, Instagram or Facebook groups etc. if you feel that’s appropriate. Thanks!#officialaha #mortenharket #magnefuruholmen #paulwaaktaarsavoy #palwaaktaar #paulwaaktaar #takeonme #mtvunplugged #huntinghighandlow
Episode 14: Ranking the live songs (02:45:00)
In this episode we rank the 25 best live versions of a-ha songs.We’re happy to share a new episode of ‘a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows’ with you as we’re getting into December. Consider it an early Christmas present from us to you. And no, it doesn’t come in another size, colour or shape, but it DOES present our ranking of the 25 best live songs from a-ha, and that’s really a ‘one size fits all’ if you ask us!In this episode JP praises a-ha’s speed metal phase (brief as it was), and Jesper recalls a visit to the toilet that almost cost him an epic concert opener. Meanwhile Peter suggests that we have a tendency to go in circles, while Jesper is counting nickels. And do Scandinavians prefer to walk with a stone in their shoe?Jesper also talks about cold cuts, while JP talks about green circles of light (again with those circles!) and we both shed a tear over the memory of a cancelled concert, while Peter rightfully questions our sanity. Apart from that there is plenty of swooning over guitar and keyboard solos, a discussion about the balance between “loose” and “messy”, and questioning if anyone - including Peter - is paying any attention to any of this. And how many instruments can Jesper imitate with his mouth? (answer: A lot fewer than he thinks!)We also discuss if saxophone is the missing ingredient in one of a-ha’s best songs, JP tries to bring together some women from the a-ha lyrics to create a new TV show - working title “Arguments & the City” - and Jesper recalls a perplexed concert audience, while JP argues for the pleasure of not getting what you want. We also speculate about non-verbal communication during songs, and Peter invents a new approach to performing music on TV shows. And is there actually a number between 18 and 20?Among all of this you’ll find 25 awesome live versions of songs from the best band in the world, ranked by JP and Jesper and moderated by Peter, so it’s all well known territory. Maybe you’ve attended hundreds of a-ha’s concerts, maybe you’ve attended none, but this episode hopefully gives you a reminder or a taste of what a-ha can pull off, when they get together on stage and rock it out. So whatever your concert starting point is we hope that you’ll enjoy this episode!As always you can find the podcast as well as the 13 previous episodes on your preferred podcast app by searching for "a-ha Ranking Highs and Lows" or go straight to the source: https://www.spreaker.com/show/a-ha-ranking-highs-and-lowsAs always please also go to our Facebook page and share your thoughts, comments and reactions. Thanks!#officialaha #waaktaarpal #palwaaktaar #waaktaar #mortenharket #magnefuruholmen #magnef #huntinghighandlow #takeonme #80s
Episode 13: Ranking the a-ha albums (02:07:45)
In this episode we rank the 11 studio albums by a-ha.Among other things you’ll get a tour through Jesper’s Facebook feed from 2009, Peter sees an escape door standing ajar, and JP provides a status on a t-shirt from the year 2000. We also rank German music magazines, and a-ha wins a questionable contest. And can you buy a girlfriend in a clothing store in Berlin?Jesper also worries about why JP is suddenly quiet (it doesn’t last long – neither the worrying nor the being quiet) and Peter refuses to revisit old discussions. We also mention The Beatles, because we are under contract to do so, and we talk about the period where being an a-ha fan didn’t come with any perks. We also talk about Wham! And can you like an album better than you like the songs on it?And of course we rank the albums, interrupt each other, forget about good podcasting techniques, laugh at our own jokes, talk about those formative years and how the relationship with an album can change over time. And we – possibly for the first time in any of the episodes – refrain from speaking Norwegian. So at least that’s solid progress.As always please do share your thoughts, comments and reactions on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rankingaha. And if you like what you hear then please recommend the podcast to other fans of a-ha or share it on your own social media. Thanks!All the best,JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer
Episode 12: Ranking the musical backstabs (00:52:16)
In this episode of "a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows" we're doing a slightly different ranking of a-ha-related songs, more specifically a top 10 of the best (or worst, depending on how you look at it) lyrical backstabs between the guys in the band. In other words: which lyrics are verbal knives in another band member's back, and how deep does the knife go?The Ranking Highs and Lows podcast team has never been afraid of doing some major speculations about songs and lyrics, but we take it to the next level with this episode.Among other things we speculate if fax is a commonly used means of communication in the a-ha camp, we discuss milestones, go overboard in the use of disclaimers, discuss if Zoë knew that she held the knife in one of the presumed backstabs and confuse ourselves as we get deep into interpretations of a song in a classic 'whodunnit' style.Peter also chips in with a very alternative interpretation of one of the stabs, we repeat the unwritten rules for where to put your backstabs, we of course discuss old wounds, and we discuss the differences between a stab, a poke and a scratch. And should Jesper allocate more of his budget for art purchases?We take a guess at how much empty space there is in JP's head, Jesper tries to re-open the rankings from past episodes, and Peter shuts him down in a flash. JP and Peter also invent a new form of chess, while Jesper (again) can't keep a secret. Furthermore we look for hidden stabs in an old a-ha song and ponder the big question: Can stunt doubles increase record sales in Italy?So nothing has changed, yet at the same time nothing stays the same in this special episode of "a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows". If you're curious and have a small hour to spend on hearsay and loose rumours while getting your daily dose of a-ha then you've come to the right place! As always you can find us at www.facebook.com/rankingaha where you can share your thoughts, comments and reactions on the list.And as always: If you like what you hear - or if you don't like it and want others to share the pain - then please recommend the podcast to other fans of a-ha. Thanks!
In this episode we rank the 25 best songs by Pål Waaktaar-Savoy from his projects outside of a-ha, which thereby is the 2nd part of our top 50 countdown.In this episode you'll be treated to more accents than anyone needs to hear, Jesper re-visits some of his favourite references, Peter the Producer is looking for a way out and JP continues to struggle with even the simplest Norwegian. We also still mess up the pronounciation af Frode's name ("Fruity", "Frough" and "Frood" are among the feeble attempts) and we second-guess one of our previous rankings. And should Pål buy more pianos at the flea market?Jesper is unsure of how many mp3 files he has sent to Pål over the years, JP questions certain stories about the origin of Take On Me, and both JP and Jesper show a so far unknown inability to estimate audience sizes. We hear about the Milli Vanilli test, we learn about JP's access to the old internet, and we hear what Neil Tennant from the Pet Shop Boys has to say about the duration of pop songs. And should you always do what your woman tells you to?You'll also hear Jesper denying a claim about a song that JP brings up, we learn how JP prefers to dance, we do some questionable segways from one song to the next, Jesper sneaks in an Alice Cooper reference, and we hear about Peter's love for the world's cheapest instrument. And are you allowed to play the tambourine whilst driving?We of course also argue over who likes a song more, JP doubts Jesper's involvement in the writing of Savoy songs, we meet a dangerous guy, Peter defends a-ha, Jesper admits to listening to our old episodes, and we learn what Pål and Lauren used to listen to in their kitchen. And how long time did it take to download a Savoy song snippet back in 1996?And last but certainly not least you'll of course hear what we think are the 25 greatest songs from Pål in the various constellations outside of a-ha. Maybe you'll agree, maybe you won't but hopefully you'll enjoy the ride!And feel free to drop by our Facebook page to share your thoughts, comments and reactions to the ranking. And as always: If you like what you hear - or if you don't like it and want others to share the pain - then please recommend the podcast to other fans of Pål/Savoy or a-ha. We know there are a lot of keen fans of Pål and Savoy out there but they may not all have found our Facebook page or podcast yet. So if you’re a member of a Facebook or Instagram group that shares our love for Pål/Savoy then please share the info about this episode as well if you feel that’s appropriate. Thanks!#waaktaar #waaktaarpal #a-ha #aha #officialaha
This episode of Ranking Highs and Lows is part 1 of our ranking of the 50 best songs by a-ha guitarist and songwriter Pål Waaktaar-Savoy from his projects outside of a-ha.We're very pleased to announce that we've had the opportunity to ask Pål about some of the songs on our ranking. He was very kind to answer some questions we e-mailed to him, and it's probably safe to say that his answers were better than our questions. However, because of this we'll finally learn where Morten's tour sound technicians are recruited from. So thanks a lot to Pål for contributing to our little hobby project!In this episode we also once again realize that timing the podcast releases is not our greatest strength, Jesper gets a very early (or late) Christmas present from JP, and we learn that Peter the Producer prefers both Sade and Darth Vader over techno. And does Jesper have a secret mission of ruining songs for JP by presenting misheard lyrics?We also discuss Pål's housekeeping skills and stumble across a business idea, JP tries his luck with a joke, and Jesper tries to beat his own record of mentioning The Beatles while also being crowned our self-proclaimed indie music king. JP also tries to argue that self-pity and laziness is an undervalued combination, and an expected big disagreement about a song doesn't amount to much. And is it even possible to play a whole TV documentary on guitar?We touch upon salt in burgers, JP shares his dislike of Sundays, Jesper revisits his favourite chords, and we question our own ranking of a song. Tennis becomes a recurring topic, Peter impresses with his knowledge of the a-ha timeline, while Jesper ponders if Pål has any office work experience. And how deep a hole did JP dig for himself when he was a kid?And among all of this you'll hear 25 great songs from Pål in various constellations outside of a-ha. Maybe you know all of them, maybe you don't know any of them, or maybe you're somewhere inbetween. Whatever your starting point we hope that you’ll enjoy this part one of our top 50!And please swing by our Facebook page and share your thoughts, comments and reactions. And as always: If you like what you hear - or if you don't like it and want others to share the pain - then please recommend the podcast to other fans of Pål/Savoy or a-ha. We know there are a lot of keen fans of Pål and Savoy out there but they may not all have found our Facebook page or podcast yet. So if you’re a member of a Facebook or Instagram group that shares our love for Pål/Savoy then please share the info about this episode as well if you feel that’s appropriate.Thanks for listening!
Episode 09: Ranking Magne Furuholmen (02:28:09)
In this episode we direct our attention to a-ha keyboardist Magne Furuholmen as we hunt for the 30 highs from his solo endeavours and side projects outside a-ha.In this episode you'll hear how Peter has given up on JP and now gives a trusted task to Jesper, we await a concept album about skimmed milk, and Peter and JP are left speechless (if only for a short while) by Jesper’s anecdotes from an Apparatjik concert.We get another one of Jesper’s “I was at work when I first heard this song”-stories, and we also learn which song might get Jesper on the dancefloor after a few drinks. Meanwhile JP confuses Jesper with a lyrics interpretation that JP himself thinks makes plenty of sense, and Peter regrets asking follow-up questions. And does Magne really love the word “hindsight” so much that it calls for fireworks?You’ll also hear some quotes from some rather harsh reviews of Magne’s first album, and can it really be that Apparatjik makes a mental note to always include 40 seconds of weirdness in their songs? And which song by Magne according to Jesper sounds like a better version of John Lennon’s “Imagine”? We also discuss ghosts - including the giving up of them - and we probably read too much conflict material into all the lyrics. And has Magne written a song about his lawyer? On top of that we talk riff-recycling and lyrical rabbit holes while Jesper for once quotes more lyrics than JP. And which song by Magne makes JP fear that Jesper may be on the same wavelength as Pål?JP suggests that Jesper should commission Magne to make him a pedestal, and we think that Morten can carry a horse. We of course also discuss Magne’s voice, we celebrate the diversity of his output, and Jesper looks for Easter eggs at Xmas time. And how does our timing of podcast release dates compare to a-ha?All of this is blended together with 30 awesome tracks from Magne in the various constellations he uses for his creative output. Maybe you know (and love) them all, maybe you’re quite new to Magne’s work outside of a-ha or maybe you’re just ready to dig a bit deeper. Whatever your starting point is, we hope that you’ll enjoy this episode!You are of course also more than welcome to visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rankingaha where you can follow us and comment on the episodes and the rankings.
Episode 08: Ranking Morten Harket’s best solo songs (02:23:35)
In this episode we rank songs from the solo career of Morten Harket, the legendary vocalist of equally legendary band a-ha. And whether you are new to Morten's solo efforts or have listened to all or most of it already this is definitely a podcast for you!In this episode we’ll be discussing the different stages of Morten’s solo career, JP once again tries to give a short summary of something (will he ever succeed?), and we find out if people in Copenhagen actually use stairs at all. And is there really a video called ‘Dance lessons by Morten Harket’?We also learn about when Peter the Producer prefers to listen to Christmas songs, Jesper announces songs in up to three different languages all at once, and JP just gives up on speaking Norwegian altogether. Apart from that we struggle with the word ‘hymn’ and Jesper discovers some exotic instruments.We also disagree on the ranking for a song about an animal, we discuss which song can be compared to an accountant dad, and how many songs about basket weavers does JP actually know? And why didn’t Jesper play an album by Morten for his friends on the ferry home from Oslo?Furthermore we discuss a very literal 360 degrees turn by Morten, we hear about an interview from 1993 that made Jesper really worried, and we wonder if it’s OK to call your girlfriend a turtle.And mixed with all of this there are 30 songs by Morten for you to enjoy. Maybe you know them all, maybe you know some of them or maybe you don’t really know any of them. So we hope that this podcast can act both as a reminder and an ear-opener to some of the great songs that Morten has released outside of a-ha. Also take the opportunity to join the discussion about our ranking on Facebook where we’d love for you to talk to us and tell us things we could find helpful.https://www.facebook.com/rankingaha
Episode 07: Ranking True North (01:37:26)
In this episode we rank the 12 songs from "True North" - the latest addition to a-ha's amazing career and song catalogue - from the worst to the best, and we can reveal that the battle for the top spot is close!In this episode we possibly fail at giving a short summary of anything, we praise some drummers, we talk about second cousins and sisters, and it would be surprising if there wasn’t something that sounds more Beatles than The Beatles…We also introduce the concept of a ‘reverse Jesus’, we discuss a-ha’s insect trilogy, we try to find out if there’s a Nordic elephant in the room, and which song on the new album could have benefitted from a Hammond organ to make it more Doorsy?We also talk about goosebumps and teary eyes after an evening with True North in headphones, we laugh at our own jokes and discuss the new lyrics. We even make the bold claim that some of the new songs could eventually prove to end up in an all time top 25 of a-ha songs! Now, if THAT isn’t something to get excited about then we don’t know what is?!Also take the opportunity to join the discussion about our ranking on Facebook where we’d love for you to talk to us and tell us things we could find helpful.https://www.facebook.com/rankingaha
Episode 06: Ranking a-ha 25-1 (01:34:08)
In the sixth - and so far final - episode of Ranking Highs and Lows we finally reveal which of a-ha’s 147 songs is the ultimate number one! The superlatives are flying all around us as we count down from 25 to 1, but there’s still room for heavy compromises and disagreements - just like when a-ha makes an album.In this episode we hear about trips to the public swimming pool in the 1980’s, how a trained fan ear may be able to tell different types of rain apart, and how great it is when a D-chord shifts from major to minor.Before we reach the top spot we also encounter songs from eight different albums, discuss how many songs you can cram into a Top 3, and try to explain how two hits on a drum before a chorus makes all the difference. So please join us as we uncover the highest of the highs of a-ha’s magnificent career!In case you prefer to read rather than listen or just want to check out the whole list again in written form then check out our blog. There you can find previous parts of the ranking as well - one chance to go back to the point where everything starts…https://www.rankingaha.dk/Also take the opportunity to join the discussion about our ranking on Facebook where we’d love for you to talk to us and tell us things we could find helpful.https://www.facebook.com/rankingahaAnd of course check out all the songs from our ranking on our Spotify playlist as as well as we move from the foot of the mountain to the very top.https://sptfy.com/rankingaha
Episode 05: Ranking a-ha 50-26 (01:22:12)
In the fifth episode of Ranking Highs and Lows we crack the top 50 as we continue our ranking of the 147 a-ha songs from worst to best by counting down from 50 to 26. Here we encounter a song that both of us like but for quite different reasons, we run into some serious compromises and discuss which version of a song is the right one to rank.We also come across some big hits, discuss the importance of the production of a song, find out if there is such a thing as “The Waaktaar-Savoy School for the Brokenhearted” and uncover which colour palette seems to dominate a-ha song titles.This episode also features the tale of when we met Morten and reminded him of songs he possibly had forgotten about, we discuss how far down the word “funky” is on the list of adjectives that describe a-ha, and we bask in the pride you can feel as a fan when an a-ha song does well on the charts. All this and much more awaits you as we get close to the top 25.In case you prefer to read rather than listen or just want to check out the list again in written form then check out our blog where we go through the ranking in writing. There you can find previous parts of the ranking as well.https://www.rankingaha.dk/Also take the opportunity to join the discussion about our ranking on Facebook where we’d love to hear your thoughts.https://www.facebook.com/rankingahaAnd of course you can lie down in darkness and check out all the songs from the ranking on our Spotify playlist as well.https://sptfy.com/rankingaha
Episode 04: Ranking a-ha 75-51 (01:06:46)
In the fourth episode of Ranking Highs and Lows we continue our ranking of the 147 a-ha songs from worst to best by counting down from 75 to 51. In this episode we will discuss how many cousins Driftwood actually has, get to know which song made one of us realize at a young age that we were maturing, and which song one of us considers more Beatles than The Beatles.We also discuss whether a certain long-awaited demo lives up to the hype, we hear more about a heartbreak from the early 2000’s, and we ponder the reasons why a-ha’s singles in the later years often seem to be alternative mixes of songs that sounded better in the album version.In this episode we also run into a UK Top 10 hit, disagree with some of the band members’ own view of their 1990’s sound, and get to hear which song just about missed a spot in our top 50. Curious? Listen and find out more!In case you prefer to read rather than listen or just want to check out the list again in written form, then check out our blog. There you can find previous parts of the ranking as well. https://www.rankingaha.dk/Also take the opportunity to join the discussion about our ranking on Facebook where we’d love to hear your thoughts.https://www.facebook.com/rankingahaAnd of course check out all the songs from our ranking on our Spotify playlist as well. https://sptfy.com/rankingaha
Episode 03: Ranking a-ha 100-76 (01:08:29)
In the third episode of Ranking Highs and Lows we crack the top 100 as we continue our ranking of the 147 a-ha songs from worst to best by counting down from 100 to 76. In this episode we see the song quality increase significantly, discover lyrics that may not be considered appropriate in 2021, and find out which song meant a lot to one of your podcast hosts when he was love sick.We also discuss a-ha vs. Savoy vs. Beatles vs. Madonna, we encounter a couple of commercially successful singles, come across a number of animals and debate if we’re being too harsh on certain songs. We probably are.So which non-album track just missed the top 75, which songs cause some disagreement among us, and are there limits to what a manager can ask band members to do? Listen and find out.In case you prefer to read rather than listen or just want to revisit the list again then check out our blog where we go through the ranking in writing. There you can find both this part of the ranking as well as previous posts.https://www.rankingaha.dk/Also don’t hesitate to join the discussion on Facebook. We’d love for you to leave a comment so “keep writing letters…”.https://www.facebook.com/rankingahaAnd of course check out all the songs from our ranking on our Spotify playlist as well if you want to remind yourself of how sweet it was.https://sptfy.com/rankingaha
Episode 02: Ranking a-ha 125-101 (00:58:39)
In the second episode of Ranking Highs and Lows we continue our ranking of a-ha’s 147 songs from worst to best by counting down from 125 to 101. In this episode we will encounter a couple of singles and possibly a few fan favorites as well, and although we are still in the bottom third of the list we already here start seeing some rather good songs!In this episode we run into the first song on the list from one of a-ha’s 1990’s albums, discuss a poor attempt at recreating the feeling from Stay On These Roads, debate whether or not a-ha sounds like ABBA and continue the investigation of where Pål and Magne take more or less hidden stabs at each other in songs.We also discuss Morten’s recent pronunciation of ‘shine’ and which song lyric sounds like a travel blogger’s Instagram post. And of course which song just missed out on a spot in the top 100.In case you prefer to read rather than listen to the way we talk, then check out our blog where we go through the ranking in writing.https://www.rankingaha.dk/And don’t hesitate to join the discussion on Facebook where the sun always shines. https://www.facebook.com/rankingahaAnd of course check out the ranking on our Spotify playlist as well in case you want to remind yourself of the songs that move our bodies.https://sptfy.com/rankingaha
Episode 01: Ranking a-ha 147-126 (00:52:30)
In the first episode of Ranking Highs and Lows you will meet the two fans behind the project, get to understand why we think ranking 147 a-ha songs from worst to best is even a good idea in the first place and of course find out what we think are the 22 most shameful lowlands of a-ha’s otherwise magnificent catalogue as we count down from 147 to 126 on the list. In this episode you will also witness how we break our own song inclusion criteria already from the start and hopefully see how barely produced demos and over-produced schmaltz can go together on the walk of shame. You will also get to hear which demo sounds like a distant second cousin to a much beloved single B-side.It’s not all bad though as you will also get to know which demo features rather nice backing vocals by Magne and which song arguably could have been a big hit if it had featured Nelly Furtado.If you prefer to read rather than listen to us talking away you can also read our take on the songs on our blog.https://www.rankingaha.dk/You can also join the discussion on Facebook where we’d love to hear your train of thought.https://www.facebook.com/rankingahaWe have also created a Spotify playlist with the songs ranked according to our list. So if you want to listen to a-ha’s minor lows and major highs.https://sptfy.com/rankingaha
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