Hunting High and Low (song)
Encyclopedia
"Hunting High and Low" is a song by Norwegian new wave
band a-ha
. It was released as the fourth international and final single from the band's debut album, Hunting High and Low
.
on the rock charts and one of the band's most recognizable and popular songs. The song didn't chart on the Billboard Hot 100
, but charted in Britain where its peak was #5 and in Ireland where it peaked at #4.
The album version was produced by Tony Mansfield and is played with synthesizers, the single remix produced by Alan Tarney features an orchestra.
Coldplay
has been known to perform this song in concert, with a special nod to the band of their initial inspiration.
"Hunting High and Low" is one of a-ha's most famous songs and is part of their live set. The song appears on the live album How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head
.
World Sales: 1,500,000 copies.
.
The UK TV show Blue Peter
featured a making-of-the-video special on "Hunting High and Low" to demonstrate the morphing effects of Morten into animals.
The video starts with a lonely Morten
walking across a snowy landscape which then cuts to a silhouette
of the band in a studio with Morten
on Vocals, Mags
on Piano and Pål
on Guitar. The film then cuts back to show Morten turn into an Eagle using animation and fly off across the snowscape into a city.
With the orchestral part of the song starting the video then goes back to the silhouettes of the band, this time with an orchestra animated like a rotoscope.
With Morten now back again as a human he is seen standing on top of a cliff face about to dive off of it. When he does he turns into a shark and swims off across the ocean. As the film continues, a woman is shown on a beach who sees the shark and steps into the water. All of a sudden two hunters spear the shark and try to drag it onto the beach. As they do so, the shark turns into a lion and runs off into the wilderness.
As the film moves toward the end, the silhouettes of Morten, Magne and Pal become full colour ... and a hunter is seen lining up the lion in his sights, about to shoot. The woman from the beach stops the hunter.
The basic idea behind the video is that love brings a man back in various forms to be near the woman he loves.
12" Single:
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band a-ha
A-ha
A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
. It was released as the fourth international and final single from the band's debut album, Hunting High and Low
Hunting High and Low
Hunting High and Low is the debut album by Norwegian new wave band A-ha. Released on 1 June 1985 through Warner Bros. Records, the album was a huge commercial success selling more than 10 million units worldwide, peaking at #15 in the United States Billboard 200 and reaching high positions on...
.
Release and Reception
"Hunting High and Low" was released in the summer of 1986 and became the third most successful single from Hunting High and LowHunting High and Low
Hunting High and Low is the debut album by Norwegian new wave band A-ha. Released on 1 June 1985 through Warner Bros. Records, the album was a huge commercial success selling more than 10 million units worldwide, peaking at #15 in the United States Billboard 200 and reaching high positions on...
on the rock charts and one of the band's most recognizable and popular songs. The song didn't chart on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, but charted in Britain where its peak was #5 and in Ireland where it peaked at #4.
The album version was produced by Tony Mansfield and is played with synthesizers, the single remix produced by Alan Tarney features an orchestra.
Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
has been known to perform this song in concert, with a special nod to the band of their initial inspiration.
"Hunting High and Low" is one of a-ha's most famous songs and is part of their live set. The song appears on the live album How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head
How Can I Sleep With Your Voice In My Head
How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head is a live album released in 2003 by Norwegian band A-ha.-Track listing:#"Forever Not Yours" — 4:33#"Minor Earth Major Sky" — 5:41#"Manhattan Skyline" — 5:50#"I've Been Losing You" — 4:09...
.
World Sales: 1,500,000 copies.
Music video
This was the last video from the band's debut album which was directed by Steve BarronSteve Barron
Steven "Steve" Barron is a director and producer, best known for directing the films Coneheads , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the innovative music videos for a-ha's "Take on Me" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean"....
.
The UK TV show Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
featured a making-of-the-video special on "Hunting High and Low" to demonstrate the morphing effects of Morten into animals.
The video starts with a lonely Morten
Morten Harket
Morten Harket is a Norwegian musician, best known as the lead singer of the Norwegian synthpop/rock band A-ha, which released nine studio albums and topped the charts in several countries after their breakthrough hit "Take on Me" in 1985. A-ha disbanded in 2010. Harket has also released four solo...
walking across a snowy landscape which then cuts to a silhouette
Silhouette
A silhouette is the image of a person, an object or scene consisting of the outline and a basically featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black. Although the art form has been popular since the mid-18th century, the term “silhouette” was seldom used until the early decades...
of the band in a studio with Morten
Morten Harket
Morten Harket is a Norwegian musician, best known as the lead singer of the Norwegian synthpop/rock band A-ha, which released nine studio albums and topped the charts in several countries after their breakthrough hit "Take on Me" in 1985. A-ha disbanded in 2010. Harket has also released four solo...
on Vocals, Mags
Magne Furuholmen
Magne 'Mags' Furuholmen is a Norwegian musician. He is best known as the guitarist and keyboardist of the pop band A-ha.-A-ha:Furuholmen has been the keyboardist with A-ha since their formation in 1982, though he also plays guitar...
on Piano and Pål
Paul Waaktaar-Savoy
Paul Waaktaar-Savoy is a Norwegian musician and songwriter. He is best known for his work as guitarist in the Norwegian pop band A-ha...
on Guitar. The film then cuts back to show Morten turn into an Eagle using animation and fly off across the snowscape into a city.
With the orchestral part of the song starting the video then goes back to the silhouettes of the band, this time with an orchestra animated like a rotoscope.
With Morten now back again as a human he is seen standing on top of a cliff face about to dive off of it. When he does he turns into a shark and swims off across the ocean. As the film continues, a woman is shown on a beach who sees the shark and steps into the water. All of a sudden two hunters spear the shark and try to drag it onto the beach. As they do so, the shark turns into a lion and runs off into the wilderness.
As the film moves toward the end, the silhouettes of Morten, Magne and Pal become full colour ... and a hunter is seen lining up the lion in his sights, about to shoot. The woman from the beach stops the hunter.
The basic idea behind the video is that love brings a man back in various forms to be near the woman he loves.
Track listing
7" Single:- "Hunting High and Low"
- "The Blue Sky" (demo version)
12" Single:
- "Hunting High and Low" (extended)
- "Hunting High and Low" (remix)
- "The Blue Sky" (demo version)
Chart performance
| Year | Chart | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | British Singles Chart | 5 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 4 | |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 10 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 9 | |
| French Singles Chart | 4 | |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 24 | |
| German Singles Chart | 11 | |
| Italian Singles Chart | 10 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | Gold | 1986 | 500,000 |
Covers
Hunting High and Low has been covered by several artists over the years, either recorded, live performance or both. Some of the artists that have performed this song include:- ColdplayColdplayColdplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
- Alexandre PiresAlexandre PiresAlexandre Pires do Nascimento is a Brazilian singer. Pires was previously the singer of group Só Pra Contrariar which he joined in the late 80s....
feat. Ivete SangaloIvete SangaloIvete Maria Dias de Sangalo is a Latin Grammy Award-winning Brazilian Axé and MPB singer, songwriter, and occasional actress and television show host... - Poor Rich OnesPoor Rich OnesPoor Rich Ones was a pop and rock band from Bergen, Norway, composed of lead singer, songwriter and guitarist William Hut, keyboardist Bjørn Bunes, bassist Tor Sørensen, guitarists Eivind Kvamme and Espen Mellingen, and drummer Bjarte Ludvigsen ....
- London Symphony OrchestraLondon Symphony OrchestraThe London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
- Kurt NilsenKurt NilsenThe following is a discography of albums and singles released by Norwegian music artist Kurt Nilsen.-Albums:-Singles:-Other releases:*1998 Shoe...
- Edyta GorniakEdyta GórniakEdyta Górniak is one of the most popular female singers from Poland.- Beginnings :At the age of 14 Górniak formed a band and was playing at private parties and evening dances. After taking singing lessons, in 1989, aged 16, she gave her first public appearance on a Polish television talent show...