The Sun Still Shines on T.V.

Talk about timing. With hours to go before a-ha played their first U.S. date in years, the band’s official Web site revealed a delightful pair of track lists for the promised deluxe editions of Hunting High and Low and Scoundrel Days from Rhino. The sets should be ready to pre-order May 11, says the band’s site, and will be in the hands of fans by June.

Check out these stunning track lists and some more a-ha thoughts and treats after the jump.

So, from an armchair reissue producer standpoint, The Second Disc largely hit the nail on the head concerning these deluxe editions. What we didn’t expect was the sheer amount of unreleased goodies heading our way. (UPDATE 5/7/2010: the ultra-reliable Slicing Up Eyeballs has posted a more finalized track list straight from Rhino; our track list has been amended as such. The label is also providing a $5 off deal when you pre-order both next week, though there is no MSRP yet.)

Here are the full track lists for the new Hunting High and Low and Scoundrel Days reissues:

a-ha, Hunting High and Low: Deluxe Edition (originally released as Warner Bros. 1-25300, 1985)

Disc 1: Original LP and remixes

1. Take on Me
2. Train of Thought
3. Hunting High and Low
4. The Blue Sky
5. Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale
6. The Sun Always Shines on T.V.
7. And You Tell Me
8. Love is Reason
9. I Dream Myself Alive
10. Here I Stand and Face the Rain
11. Take on Me (Original 7″ Version) (U.K. 7″ A-side – WEA W9146, 1984)
12. The Sun Always Shines on T.V. (Alan Tarney 12″ Extended Version) (U.K. 12″ A-side, first pressing – WEA W8846T, 1985)
13. Train of Thought (Extended Remix) (12″ A-side – Warner Bros. 20455-0, 1986)
14. Hunting High and Low (Extended Remix) (12″ A-side – Warner Bros. 20478-0, 1986)

Disc 2: B-sides and Demos

1. Take on Me (Demo)
2. Train of Thought (Demo) *
3. Hunting High and Low (Demo) *
4. The Blue Sky (Demo) (U.K. 7″ B-side to “Hunting High and Low” – WEA W6663, 1986)
5. Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale (Early Version) *
6. The Sun Always Shines on T.V. (Demo) *
7. And You Tell Me (Demo) (U.K. 7″ B-side to original “Take on Me” single – WEA W9146, 1984)
8. Love is Reason (Demo) *
9. I Dream Myself Alive (Demo) *
10. Here I Stand and Face the Rain (Demo) *
11. Stop! And Make Your Mind Up (12” B-side to original “Take on Me Single” – WEA W9146T, 1984)
12. Driftwood (7″ B-side to “The Sun Always Shines on T.V.” – Warner Bros. 7-28846, 1985)
13. Dot the I (Demo)
14. The Love Goodbye (Demo)
15. Nothing to It (Demo) *
16. Go to Sleep (Demo)
17. Monday Mourning (Demo)
18. All the Planes That Come in on the Quiet (Demo) *
19. Never Never (Demo)
20. What’s That You’re Doing to Yourself (Demo) *
21. You Have Grown Thoughtful Again (Demo) *
22. Lesson One (Autumn 1982 “Take on Me” Demo) *
23. Presenting Lily Mars (Demo)

* denotes previously unreleased track
Tracks 1, 13-14, 16-17 and 19 previously released on bonus CD with The Swing of Things book

a-ha, Scoundrel Days (originally released as Warner Bros. 1-25501, 1986)

Disc 1: Original LP and remixes

1. Scoundrel Days
2. The Swing of Things
3. I’ve Been Losing You
4. October
5. Manhattan Skyline
6. Cry Wolf
7. We’re Looking for the Whales
8. The Weight of the Wind
9. Maybe, Maybe
10. Soft Rains of April
11. I’ve Been Losing You (Extended Version) (12″ A-side – Warner Bros. 20557-0, 1986)
12. Cry Wolf (Extended Version) (12″ A-side – Warner Bros. 20610-0, 1986)
13. Manhattan Skyline (Extended Version) (12″ A-side – Warner Bros. 20642-0, 1987)

Disc 2: Demos, B-sides and live cuts

1. Scoundrel Days (Demo) *
2. The Swing of Things (Demo #3) *
3. I’ve Been Losing You (Octogon Studio Demo) *
4. October (Demo) *
5. Manhattan Skyline (Demo) *
6. Cry Wolf (Demo) *
7. We’re Looking for the Whales (Demo) *
8. The Weight of the Wind (Demo) *
9. Maybe, Maybe (Demo) *
10. Soft Rains of April (Guitar Version) *
11. Scoundrel Days (Octocon Studio Demo) *
12. This Alone is Love (Original Version) (7″ B-side to “I’ve Been Losing You” – Warner Bros. 7-28594, 1986)
13. Days on End (Demo)
14. Train of Thought (Live in Croydon – January 1987) *
15. I’ve Been Losing You (Live in Croydon – January 1987) *
16. The Blue Sky (Live in Croydon – January 1987) *
17. We’re Looking for the Whales (Live in Croydon – January 1987) (12″ B-side to “Manhattan Skyline” – Warner Bros. 20642-0, 1987)
18. Cry Wolf (Live in Croydon – January 1987)

* denotes previously unreleased track
Track 13 previously released on bonus CD with The Swing of Things book

Clearly these track lists are great. The fact that fans won’t have to wait long to start ordering these is also great. Based on the attendance and attention of the crowd at the first New York show, these actually have a good chance of doing well (as reissues go) and justifying some more a-ha deluxe titles in the future. Fingers crossed, anyway.

And that show. It was amazing. I hate to drive this home as there are many fans and readers who just can’t get to one of the few a-ha shows in North America (nothing more south than L.A.). But at least let yourself enjoy the set list and a few pictures (note: I value my writing over my photography skills, but I tried my best). I’d be willing to bet some of these shows will be taped for future use, so it may not be long before all can experience the joy that attendees at New York’s Nokia Center did tonight.

The set list:

Foot of the Mountain
Bandstand
Analogue (All I Want)
Forever Not Yours
Minor Earth Major Sky
Summer Moved On
Move to Memphis
The Blood That Moves the Body
Stay on These Roads
The Living Daylights
A brief yearbook-style montage – “25 Years in the Making”
And You Tell Me (Acoustic – with Magne on xylophone)
Early Morning (Acoustic – with Magne on xylophone)
Scoundrel Days
The Swing of Things
We’re Looking for the Whales
Manhattan Skyline
I’ve Been Losing You/Cry Wolf
——
The Sun Always Shines on T.V.
Hunting High and Low
—–
Take on Me