Morten Harket on meeting Morrissey and covering The Sun Always Shines (new NME interview - September 2, 2022)

At a 2004 gig in Norway, which musician introduced himself as ‘Morten’ before singing his own, lyrically-altered snippet of A-ha’s ‘The Sun Always Shines on T.V.’?​

MH: “The main guy who’s been vocal about A-ha is obviously Chris Martin from Coldplay, but that’s not who you’re looking for here?”
NME: WRONG. It’s Morrissey.
MH: “[Laughs] That would have been a treat to hear. I met Morrissey in New Orleans briefly in the ‘80s. He’s a brilliant musician and writer, and I’d have a coffee with him any time if the chance happens!”

www.nme.com/features/music-interviews/a-ha-morten-harket-masked-singer-pet-shop-boys-3301940

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Related item:

• Morten Harket on Morrissey - Apr. 6, 2012

 

[RolfMagnus]

Is anyone going to point out that U2 blatantly ripped off "The Sun Always Shines on TV" for their song "Beautiful Day"

 

[Sven68]

Is anyone going to point out that U2 blatantly ripped off "The Sun Always Shines on TV" for their song "Beautiful Day"

He was asked about that in the interview:

U2 had been “heavily inspired” by ‘The Sun Always Shines on T.V.’ for their 2000 track ‘Beautiful Day’. Could you hear your influence when you first heard it?
“Yeah. And that’s fine. Those things are natural. Whatever part in ‘Beautiful Day’ has a resemblance to ‘The Sun Always Shines…’, it doesn’t make ‘Beautiful Day’ a lesser song in any way or take away from the characteristics of what makes that song work.”

 

[Gregor Samsa]

He was asked about that in the interview:

U2 had been “heavily inspired” by ‘The Sun Always Shines on T.V.’ for their 2000 track ‘Beautiful Day’. Could you hear your influence when you first heard it?
“Yeah. And that’s fine. Those things are natural. Whatever part in ‘Beautiful Day’ has a resemblance to ‘The Sun Always Shines…’, it doesn’t make ‘Beautiful Day’ a lesser song in any way or take away from the characteristics of what makes that song work.”

He being Morten? Bono?

 

[sullen ways]

Hunting High And Low
Summer Moved On
The Sun Always Shines On TV
Cosy Prisons
Train Of Thought
Lifelines
Stay On These Roads
Dark Is The Night For All
Manhattan Skyline
Forever Not Yours

Not many acts have a set of songs that strong. When they are good, they are amazing.

 

[AtImber2022]

Morrissey and Morten would have made beautiful babies in the 80s

 

[Eldritch]

I saw True North last night and actually really liked it. Based on advance word, I feared it would be a mixture of a travel advert, pointless sideplots about Norwegian youth, an ecological warning -- and a-ha playing some songs off their new album. Mercifully everything else was just visual candy: the main point was that we heard and saw the band play ten songs from True North with an orchestra. (Summer Rain and Oh My Word were the songs left unheard). Don't know if these are the final versions, but there definitely were some lovely songs there, even though this definitely is their most MOR and sedate set of songs so far. But I liked most of it.