Hunting High and Low (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Hunting High and Low

---

Caption =
Artist = a-ha
from Album = Hunting High and Low
A-side = "Hunting High and Low"
B-side = "The Blue Sky" (Demo Version)
Released = June 2, 1986
Format = 7"
12"
Recorded =
Genre = Synthpop
New Wave
Alternative rock
Length = 3:43
Label = Warner Bros. Records
Writer = Pål Waaktaar
Producers = Tony Mansfield
Certification =
Last single = Train of Thought
(1986)
This single = Hunting High and Low
(1986)
Next single = I've Been Losing You
(1986)
Misc =

"Hunting High and Low" is the fifth and last single from a-ha's debut album Hunting High and Low.

Release and Reception

"Hunting High and Low" was released in the summer of 1986 and became the third most succsessful single from 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 it's peak was #5 and in Ireland it's peak was #4.

Coldplay has been known to perform this song in concert, with a special nod to the band of their initial inspiration. [ [http://www.a-ha.com/MEDIA/VIDEO/AHA_videoHuntingHighAndLow.aspx Hunting High and Low] ]

"Hunting High and Low" is one of a-ha's most famous songs and is part of their live set. The song appear on the live album How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head.

Music video

This was the last video from the band's debut album which was Directed by Steve Barron

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 as snowy landscape, which then cuts to a silhouette of the band in a studio 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 this time 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 see's 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 Lion looks on and lives for another day.

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

[cite web
url=http://norwegiancharts.com/search.asp?cat=s&search=A-ha
title=Norwegian Singles Chart
publisher=VG-lista
accessdate=2008-03-07] [cite web
url=http://www.everyhit.com/
title=British Single Chart
publisher=UK Top 40
accessdate=2008-03-07] [cite web
url=http://lescharts.com/search.asp?search=A-ha&cat=s
title=French Singles Chart
publisher=Palmares
accessdate=2008-03-07] [cite web
url=http://austriancharts.at/search.asp?search=A-ha&cat=s
title=Austrian Singles Chart
publisher=Austria Top 40
accessdate=2008-03-07] [cite web
url=http://www.irishcharts.ie/
title=Irish Singles Chart
publisher=The Irish Chart
accessdate=2008-03-07] [cite web
url=http://www.charts-surfer.de/musiksearch.php
title=German Singles Chart
publisher=Charts-Surfer
accessdate=2008-06-07] [cite web
url=http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/hp_yends/hpe1986.htm
title=Italian Singles Chart
publisher=hitparadeitalia
accessdate=2008-06-07]

References