“Take On Me” and How Tones Change as Lyrics Age

A-ha’s seminal 80s hit holds a powerful dichotomy of meaning

Image from music video for a-ha’s “Take On Me,” directed by Steve Barron, produced by Limelight Productions, and distributed by Warner Bros. Records.

One of the most interesting components to language is the way that tone can change the meaning of a sentence. The inflection placed on individual words can alter the meaning of the entire interchange that i…