Entre os fãs do a-ha, era quase unanimidade o desejo de ver a banda fazendo um álbum acústico. Ao longo dos anos, a banda brindou seus fãs se apresentando dessa forma em algumas ocasiões específicas, e então finalmente o momento chegou.
O a-ha MTV Unplugged – Summer Solstice foi gravado na ilha de Giske, Noruega. Em entrevistas, a banda chegou a cogitar a possibilidade deste álbum ser gravado no Brasil, porém, o destino escolhido acabou sendo mesmo em território norueguês.
Pål Waaktaar-Savoy: “Escolher Giske foi como a maioria das coisas que fazemos: Foram 50% de chance e 50% planejamento. Estávamos discutindo muitos lugares diferentes para fazer esses shows especiais – entre eles, Manaus na selva amazônica, Berlim, Londres e Nova York. No final do dia, foi o estúdio Ocean Sound Recordings em Giske que fez a diferença. Sabíamos que podíamos ensaiar sem perturbações e uma qualidade de som extremamente boa “.
O álbum conta com 21 músicas, entre elas, quatro faixas nunca antes lançadas pela banda. Duas faixas inéditas, “This Is Our Home” e “A Break In The Clouds”, “Sox Of The Fox” que é uma regravação da música “The Vacant” dos Bridges (Banda de Paul e Mags antes do a-ha) e “The Killing Moon”, clássico do Echo & The Bunnymen.
Além de Ian McCulloch (Scoundrel Days e The Killing Moon), o projeto contou com as participações de Lissie (I´ve Been Losing You), Ingrid Helene Håvik (The Sun Always Shines on TV) e Alison Moyet (Summer Moved On).
Faixas do álbum/DVD
1. This is Our Home
2. Lifelines
3. I’ve Been Losing You
4. Analogue
5. The Sun Always Shines on TV
6. Break in the Clouds
7. Foot of the Mountain
8. Stay on These Roads
9. This Alone is Love
10. Over the Treetops
11. Forever Not Yours
12. Sox of the Fox
13. Scoundrel Days
14. The Killing Moon
15. Summer Moved On
16. Memorial Beach
17. Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale
18. Manhattan Skyline
19. The Living Daylights
20. Hunting High and Low
21. Take on Me
This Is Our Home
(Magne Furuholmen)
It matters what you do
It matters what you say
It matters that you lead the way
It matters what you think
It matters what you know
There is no other place to go
For this is our home
This is our home
This is where we belong
It matters what you say
It matters what you do
It matters what I put you through
For this is our home
This our home
This the place
This is our home
This is our home
This is the place where we belong
For this is our home
This is our home
This is where we belong
A Break In The Clouds
(Paul Waaktaar-Savoy)
Ah, I’m on again
A momentary set-back
Well, you know
And like before
I’m hiding
More than I show
But I
I just wanted you to know
A break in the clouds
Means something to me
Means something to me
I don’t know what
A shot in the dark
Means something to me
A lot
Ah I’m back again
A temporary shut-down
Well, you know
And like before
We’re making up the story
As we go
And I
I just wanted you to know
A fork in the road
Means nothing to me
Means nothing to me
I don’t know why
A turn of events
Means nothing to me
Inside
And I do appreciate you being there for me
I can’t make it any other way
Yes, I
I just wanted you to know
A break in the clouds
Means something to me
Means something to me
I don’t know what
A shot in the dark
Means something to me
A lot
Sox Of The Fox
(Paul Waaktaar-Savoy)
Tired socks
Tired shoes
Made two many footprints
Broken too many news
I’m the fox
You can’t catch me with your dogs
I run too fast
Move too quick
Bite too hard
I know all your tricks
I’m the fox
You can’t catch me with your dogs
I cannot have no chains
I can’t make no friends
Can’t show much love to you
But don’t you look at me
Maybe you’ll catch me with your eyes
Maybe you’ll catch me with your eyes
I’m the fox
You can’t catch me with your dogs
a-ha Bahia 