A-HA is the most underated band of all times. To me they are the real Gods of the Pop by far, pure and clean sounds.

It was the drums by Michael Sturgis. I was 14. Blew me away. The producers nailed it. Threw this song to another level compared to the demo. Maxed out their talents and pushed Morten’s voice to the point he became a one of the most respected vocalist around in his time. My favorite.

Paul's solo in the live version is mind blowing. My husband and I saw them in NYC back in April, and Paul played another kick-ass solo during The Swing of Things.

A-ha is the most amazing talented band in the world, in my opinion. I haven't stopped listening to them since 1985. I just saw them on 2 April 2022 in Mexico City -- 3 weeks ago. No one better than A-ha. I'm so proud of them, my 3 beautiful Norwegians.

A-ha the best Band in the world!!

The rythm sections on both The Swing of Things AND Scoundrel Days are totally genius!

Michael Sturgis played drums on this and all live work until 1990. Great jazz, pop drummer

First half of the 90s was peak a-ha.

To me this song is about a sensitive soul who is wounded easily by the harsh realities of the outside world, who thinks deeply about things but doesn't necessarily express them freely. In their life they have someone who is their safe harbour, who they haven't always treated well but now they're apart from them they feel lost at sea without them. They're trying to navigate their life while they're apart from their safe person and get into the 'swing of things'.

Hi Mike! This is probably a-ha’s best live version of their songs- period. I am Norwegian and I know some about Paul Waaktaar Savoy that he tells in his book « Tears from a stone» that was launched some years ago- a biography about Paul. He suffers from anxiety and gets panic attacks in some circumstances. Based on the lyrics he is dwelwing into this in this song. He speaks quite freely about this in his book. I really enjoy your reactions and look forward to more from you. Take care and rock on! @Yeedeed

Definitely real drums on this take-an outstanding piece of work by Mike Sturgis

I m a a-ha fan since 89... watching your reaction to their songs is just fullfilling... you make it so genuine... thanks a lot! You rock!

Fantastic! A-ha forever!

They still rock this song live and Paul still kills the guitar solo. Saw them 3 weeks ago. The best part of their gigs for me personally. Looking forward to the your reactions Mike.

I just got a ticket to see them at the Hollywood Bowl in July!!! Super excited!

I absolutely love this song, and man you got the rhythm with the drums, it was not easy, congratulations :)

I do generally prefer the studio tracks because they’re mixed better, but there’s often such a difference that it’s almost hard to categorize them together, like they’re two different songs. That being said, I probably do prefer the NRK version of Sycamore leaves to the studio, but it’s close! I don’t think you’ve reacted to the studio version yet… I believe Pål wrote this when he was separated from his girlfriend (later wife:) for a period due to her being from America and not England where they were staying during the mid 80’s. That might explain more of the lyrics. And Pål has trouble in a lot of public situations, like anxiety so I think that shows up here too. This is one of my favorites, studio and live, so glad you got to this one! There’s a great live version with video from Johannesburg if you want video. Same version, I think the same tour. Also if you want a really high note, he hits a D5 in his chest voice in the studio version of Touchy!

This period was their best live period. Full on instruments live, very little programming, much more off the cuff. Please do touchy and sun always shines on tv from the live in South America tour. There are ten songs from that tour available on line.

A-HA la mejor banda de los 80s ...y mucha gente recien lo valora

Worth the wait Mike 😁 I feel famous after all the mentions! Glad you liked it as much as we all do. It’s a great song - but this live version elevates it too something else. They were at their rawest live during the ‘94 tour. Thanks a mill for getting to it eventually. I loved watching your reaction - I knew you’d get it. Enjoy exploring the rest of their catalogue!

With a-ha it has been said, that along with only a choice handful of other artists, their live performances can often exceed their studio versions. You are beginning to realise, like we long term fans, how true that is! Btw - you need to listen to Here I Stand And Face The Rain from their first album and The Soft Rains Of April from Scoundrel Days soon now too…please!

I love this song. It's been a favorite since I was 12. Your reaction was really fun!

Can't wait until you get around to reacting to a-ha's Time And Again, from their album Lifelines. It's a masterpiece.

Morten is pretty sick during this performance, it's obvious to those who have been listening to A-ha for years. But despite this, A-ha did not cancel the concert on the home soil anyway. Morten's throat is fucking sore, you can hear it during "Oh but I need it. You know I will need it for the rest of my god damn life..." And thanks to that it's the most painful need it can be. To need another living being desperately. A breathtaking beauty. I have been living the boy's adventure tale for years. Morten is an exceptional singer. A-ha is an extraordinary and modest group of three genius, the one of my Best top 3 of European bands and worldwide at the same time along with DM and U2 which are playing their notes and poetry for decades. Mike, it is not a holy crap only... It is Holyground we can walk on the Earth for years. And of course thank you a lot for discovering Falling In Reverse, those guys from Liverpool, btw.

The drums on Scoundrel Days are epic.

THANX MAN!Such a big fave of mines.Lyrics to this was such a shot to the heart!Morten's performance on both SCOUNDREL DAYS/THE SWING ON THINGS is breathtaking.Despite these tracks being so demanding in terms of performing, he sounds so effortless and at the same time so "artistically painful".He can do anything with his playful voice.Try "THE BLUE SKY" from their debut album sometime next or even some other darker ones such as "LIVING A BOY'S ADVENTURE TALE"/"SOFT RAINS OF APRIL"/"HERE I STAND AND FACE THE RAIN".

thank you Mike for your comment.Fan since their beginning, especially since The Sun always shines on TV🙂In middle school, I asked my English teacher the meaning of the title ''The swing of thin gs''. She answered me 🤔 ''it's something in the air'' with a strong American accent (teacher of French origin, but hey)🙂I really like their Live.a-ha is very popular around the world🎵🎤🎸🎹🎸🥁🎷and we hope they will still do some tours 😊 Pop-rock or Rock-pop? It doesn't matter!😝

Hi Mike. Absolutely loved your reaction to this, which is my favourite a-ha live performance. When you said holy crap just before the guitar solo started I muttered to myself "Hold on. this is gonna blow your mind", and I wasn't disappointed. I recommend you check out the combo of Cold As Stone/Sycamore Leaves live from 1994.

When she glows in the dark, maybe the northern lights. Cheers Simon

You gotta check out more live performances from a-ha, they do that fast paced thing a lot

What can I say: thank you very much for the reaction and fulfilling my request. For my taste, this is the golden age of a-ha live performances (1991 - 1994) and this is one more demonstration of how they can enhance a song on stage. Sublime performance! Regards!

Thank you for getting round to reviewing this one Mike …and yes the drumming is real - from Mike Sturgis, as Mark Webster and others have already filled you in on. I actually hoped the live one you’d review would be from 2010 from the Ending On A High Note concert at the Oslo Spektrum where you can see them performing this song live…it has their current drummer Karl Oluf Wennerberg on drums…he’s an amazing drummer. It’s my favourite version of this song which is in my top 3 favourites from a-ha. Actually truth be told I love everything they have ever done, and it’s just so hard to pick the best because they are all good, but all different too, that’s another great thing about a-ha, the variety. Have you done Living A Boy’s Adventure Tale yet….I can’t remember if you have or not, but if you haven’t you really need to. As for the lyrics on The Swing Of Things, like many of the early songs Pal wrote this when he was lovelorn and separated from his then girlfriend (now wife) Lauren…she in USA and he in London, and the text is all about that separation and the angst of not knowing how she really felt about him and how much he was missing her. Its about the nature of their long distance relationship and his insecurity and social anxiety !

Yessss! 😁 I really liked your reaction to both version. For this song in the live version, I particularly appreciate the expressive and more "rock-blues" voice of Morten and the guitar work and solo of Pål. What I understand from this song... A feeling that the person is at a point of no return and at a crucial stage in their life. The person seems hesitant but also very attracted to enter into this spiral of intense action... A step into youth, dreams, a step into hectic adult life and reality. An analogy to the big change of life in the limelight that the members of the group had to face and the fact to be separated from their beloved ones because of the great and rapid international success at the start of their young career. Thanks again Mike! 🎶👌😊🎶

Fantastic!

I guess this song is about a relationship that was taken forgranted but when it was over, the one who takes it forgranted realized the value of the person when she/he was gone.

Adoro a parte que ele imenda uma silaba na outra sem tomar fôlego, fantastico, gostei muito de te ver gostantando da musica

Wow 😍😍 only I can say it's Thank U for reaction this song 👍👍 Wow wow to the live version 😍 my first hearing this one....thank you!

Hey. Dave here from oz. Good job. These songs were my childhood. Great band. Great reaction. Cheers mate

Their music - all 10 albums - the soundtrack to my life (haven't bought True North yet - difficult to get where I am from!). Remember, we had to wait for the albums to come out... for their hiatuses to pass... so we "grew up" with them. One thing is for certain... their music will live on forever - thanks to the geniuses behind it. Thank you Mike and thank you @aha 💓.

Loving you trying to get the drumbeat. Awesome. Really pleased you like A-ha too. As solo artists they are all amazingly talented and have their own style. Bring them together and something magic seems to happen. The style has developed and matured over time but all the songs and albums don't seem to have dated. They truly are a band where I feel their legacy will continue for many more decades to come.

Yes it was real drums, drummer was Michael sturgis, also done the drumming on I’ve been losing you.

Drums are crazy, but lyrics are the best

Thank you, Mike. You put such effort into your reactions, one can really see you know what you are doing. You make me discover the music in depth, which I highly appreciate. It's like rediscovering the song every time. This song is like one of the hidden treasures from a-ha.

Amigo tua energia é empolgante. Valeu pelo vídeo! a-ha para sempre. 🇧🇷

I have no idea why they did not get Mike Sturgis to do live with them.

Another song that you do not quite expect from them is Cold River. And Locust.

❤❤❤💋a-ha

My best song, live.

Oh yes, there were already drum machines back in the 80's :) the studio version most likely has the rhythm section programmed.... :)

This is real drums by the brilliant Michael sturgis in the album version. Per hilsted also brilliant in the live version. Bass by Jørun Bøgeberg. Paul guitars rocks in the live. For me they were at their peak in the 90s and their set up with sax by the late Sigurd Kohn are the best!

A-ha just released a new singel from their upcomming album: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/p7hggbFpqajHhpc.html

a-ha live legendary.......

Mike personal request 😊 try move to Memphis studio version, then the live version from the same show as this version of the swing of things. Will be right up your street pal😉

2024 Amazonas

Ah, thank you

Morten Harket - A Kind of Christmas Card

the swing of things demo é muito melhor que versão original.

Thank you 😃

"Swing of Things" signature sounds were obtained from a PPG Wave. The drums and several other sound effects were drawn from a Fairlight CMI.

You have listened to scoundrel days also😉

Best