You know the feeling. You’re at a wedding or a dive bar karaoke night, the synth drums kick in, and suddenly everyone is bracing themselves. It’s coming. That moment in the chorus where Morten Harket’s voice stops being human and starts being a frequency only dogs and elite Norwegian pop stars can reach. Singing Take On Me is a rite of passage for anyone who has ever picked up a microphone, but honestly, most of us are doing it wrong. It’s not just a song; it’s an athletic event.
Aha’s 1985 masterpiece isn't just famous for its pencil-sketch music video. It’s famous because it contains a vocal leap that defies the laws of casual biology. When you decide to tackle this track, you aren't just singing a pop song. You’re navigating a minefield of two and a half octaves. It’s a workout.
The Physics of That High E
Let’s talk about the "Note." You know the one. During the final chorus, Harket hits a high E (E5), and he doesn't just tap it. He soars. For most male singers, this is deep into "falsetto" or "head voice" territory. If you’re a bass or a baritone, trying to hit that note with full chest power is a one-way ticket to a sore throat and an embarrassed audience.
Morten Harket is a freak of nature. Not in a bad way, obviously. He has a five-octave range. Most professional singers are happy with two or three. When he was singing Take On Me in the studio, he wasn't straining. He was showing off. The song actually starts quite low, which is the trap. You start in a comfortable, breathy baritone range during the verses. You feel confident. You think, "I got this." Then the pre-chorus hits, the energy shifts, and suddenly you’re expected to jump an entire octave in the span of a few seconds.
The difficulty isn't just the height of the note; it’s the transition. In vocal pedagogy, we call this the passaggio. It’s that "bridge" where your voice switches from your thick, vibrating chest resonators to the thinner, ringing head voice. Most people "crack" here. That awkward yelp you hear at karaoke? That’s someone’s vocal cords literally giving up because they tried to push too much air through a space that wasn't ready for it.
Why Your Karaoke Version Probably Fails
It’s about air. Pure and simple.
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Most amateur singers try to hit high notes by squeezing their throat muscles. They think tension equals height. It’s the opposite. To succeed at singing Take On Me, you need a massive amount of breath support from your diaphragm, but your neck and throat have to stay as loose as a wet noodle. If you tighten up, the note stays trapped in your throat. It sounds thin, sharp, and painful.
Then there’s the phrasing. The song is fast. 169 beats per minute. That is a frantic pace for a ballad-adjacent pop song. You have to breathe in places where there are no natural pauses. If you miss a breath during the "In a day or two" line, you’re essentially suffocating by the time you reach the final "Take on me."
Honestly, the original recording is a bit of a studio miracle. While Harket could certainly do it live—and did, well into his 60s—the 1985 version has a pristine, crystalline quality that is hard to replicate in a room full of beer fumes and bad speakers.
The "Take On Me" Evolution
Did you know there are actually three versions of this song? The one we all know wasn't the first. The original 1984 release was a total flop. It sounded more like a generic synth-pop track and lacked that soaring vocal urgency. It wasn't until producer Alan Tarney got his hands on it and they re-recorded the vocals that the magic happened.
They realized the song needed to be an anthem. That meant the vocals needed to be pushed to the absolute limit.
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- The 1984 Version: Flat, uninspired, and the high notes were buried in the mix.
- The 1985 Version: The legend. Crisp production and the vocal front and center.
- The MTV Unplugged Version (2017): This is where things get interesting for aspiring singers.
If you struggle with the upbeat tempo, listen to the 2017 acoustic version. It’s slower, melancholic, and stripped down. It proves that singing Take On Me doesn't have to be about hitting a glass-shattering high E with a smile on your face. It can be a haunting, vulnerable performance. In this version, Harket focuses more on the texture of his voice rather than the sheer gymnastics of the range. It’s a great blueprint for people who want to perform the song but realize they aren't vocal Olympians.
Technically Speaking: How to Actually Do It
If you’re dead set on conquering this beast, you have to treat it like a gym session. You don't just walk in and bench press 300 pounds.
- Warm up your low end first. Since the song starts low, your vocal cords need to be supple. Do some "lip bubbles" or "straw phonation" to get the blood flowing.
- Find your "Mix." Don't try to yell the high notes. You need a mix of chest and head voice. Think of it as a "cry" sound. It should feel like it's vibrating in your sinuses, not your throat.
- The "A" Vowel. When you sing the word "Me," don't use a tight "ee" sound. In the world of singing, "ee" is the hardest vowel to hit high. Pull your corners in slightly and think of it more like an "ih" (as in "it") or a very narrow "ee." This opens up the back of your throat.
- Embrace the Falsetto. There is no shame in flipping into a pure falsetto for the highest part. Even the pros do it. It’s better to have a clean, airy falsetto than a strained, cracking chest note that makes everyone winced.
The Cultural Weight of the High Note
Why do we care so much? Why is singing Take On Me such a global obsession?
It’s the vulnerability. The lyrics are actually quite desperate. "I'll be gone in a day or two." There’s a ticking clock. The high note represents that breaking point—the moment where words aren't enough and only a pure, soaring tone can express the emotion. When someone nails it at karaoke, the room explodes not just because it’s a cool trick, but because we all felt the release of that tension.
We’ve seen everyone from Weezer to Pentatonix cover this. Chris Martin from Coldplay often does a stripped-back version. Each one approaches the high note differently. Weezer keeps it relatively "rock" and gritty. Pentatonix uses vocal layering to support the lead. It shows that the song is flexible, even if your vocal cords aren't.
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Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Stop trying to mimic Morten's accent unless you're actually Norwegian. It sounds weird. Also, watch out for the "Take on me / Take me on" overlap. If you’re singing solo, you have to choose a lane. You can't sing both parts. Most people try to do both and end up sounding like they’re having a musical identity crisis.
Another big mistake? Giving up on the verses. Because the chorus is so iconic, people sleepwalk through the verses. But the verses build the narrative. If you don't sell the "Talking away / I don't know what I'm to say" part, the chorus feels unearned.
Practical Steps for Your Next Performance
If you want to master singing Take On Me, stop practicing the whole song over and over. You’ll just tire yourself out.
- Isolate the Jump: Practice the transition from the word "Take" to "On" specifically. That interval is the "make or break" moment.
- Check Your Posture: Don't lift your chin when you go for the high note. It feels natural to look up, but it actually constricts your airway. Keep your chin level or even tucked slightly.
- Record Yourself: It will be painful. You will probably hate it. But you need to hear where you’re going sharp or flat. Most people go flat on the high E because they "reach" for it rather than "landing" on top of it.
- Hydrate: This is a "wet" song. Your vocal folds need to be lubricated to vibrate that fast. Drink water an hour before you sing.
The song is a challenge, but that’s why it’s fun. It’s the Everest of 80s pop. Whether you hit the note or fail spectacularly, the important thing is the attempt. People respect the courage it takes to even try. So, next time the intro starts, don't shy away. Take a deep breath, support from your core, and let it rip. Worst case scenario? You provide a hilarious story for your friends. Best case? You’re the hero of the night.
To really get this down, start by practicing the chorus an octave lower than the original. Get the melody into your "muscle memory" without the strain. Once you can sing the melody perfectly in a lower key, slowly move it up one semi-tone at a time using a piano or a digital pitch shifter. This builds the strength required for the real deal without blowing out your voice on the first try.