A-Ha - The Swing of Things 1985-2010 (English Softcover)
Jan Omdahl's career-spanning book on A-Ha, The Swing of Things that was originally written in Norwegian and only sold in Norway and offered in English on A-Ha.com for a short time, is at last available again in English and is shipping by the end of the week (Aug. 27, 2010) world-wide. The pre-order is available for $52.50 from A-Ha's merch people and is the only place you can currently get the English version. For those that speak Norwegian, you can get the Norwegian version for about 449 Norwegian Kr. ($72 U.S.)
Jan Omdahl's instant hit was quickly gobbled up by excited fans when originally released back in October of 2004 and included a special CD of rare A-Ha tracks and featured cover art by Mags. That version often goes for a pretty penny on eBay when you can find it. Or you can get this 1st edition, signed, ultra-rare English version here on a private listing. The A-Ha.com English version was called The Swing Of Things: Twenty Years With a-ha and included some minor changes in the wording and some different photos.
This new edition of The Swing of Things 1985-2010 has been updated to include the final six years of A-Ha's inimitable career, converted to softcover and sadly, does not include a cd of rare A-Ha songs like the original did and has been chopped down by about 100 pages. Dang! But on the bright side, it's not $1,500 and has the most complete information on the band you've come to know and love, IN ENGLISH. The Swing of Things has been tirelessly compiled and now updated. The original book contained over 400 pages of rare photos, notes and stories unavailable anywhere else. I missed my chance to own this book the first time around, but they can count me in on this one. And if Mags, Paul and Morton would love to sign it over to one of their biggest fans, that wouldn't be a bad thing.
The Swing of Things 1985-2010 is published by Forlaget PRESS in English ISBN: 9788275474160 and Norwegian ISBN: 9788275474030
The Norwegian site, Haugenbok.no has three versions in stock, including the one with the CD (and the English softcover that I thought was only available on A-Ha.com).
A-Ha - "The Swing of Things" - NES version
A-Ha - "The Swing of Things" - Live
A-Ha - "The Swing of Things" - Lyrics (live version)
You say the world's an eventful place
You give me news
I don't want to know
You say that I should care
That I should speak my mind
Oh, but how can I speak of the world
Rushing by
With a lump in my throat
And tears in my eyes
Oh, have I come to the point of no turning back
Or is there still time to get into
The swing of things
Let us walk through this windless city
I'll go on till the winter gets me
Oh, "sleep..." you wrote "sleep, my dear"
In a letter somewhere
Oh, but how can I sleep with your
voice in my head
With an ocean between us
And room in my bed
Oh, have I come to the point - oh, no turning back
Or is it still time to get into
The swing of things
Oh, when she glows in the dark
And I'm weak by the sight
Of this breathtaking beauty
In which I can hide
Oh, there's a world full out there
Of people I fear
But given time I'll get into
The swing of things
Yes, when she glows in the dark and
I'm struck by the sight
I know that I'll need this for the rest of my life
What have I done
What lies I have told
I've played games with the ones that
rescued my soul
Oh, have I come to the point where I'm losing the grip
Or is it still time to get into
The swing of things
Nov 29, 2011 at 10:05 AM Hello!
Many people have already read "The Swing Of..." and said the following: according to these ones, Morten, for example, had complex about his look and he have never understood how the fans girls admired him, but he accepted that kind of thing because he likes them if they were objects (Cruel? Perhaps! But, we have already wondered his true thought about the girls fans. Thank you, Mom and friends!). Also, Morten really loves nature and animals (it does not mean that he loves humans being). We remember we saw a picture of Morten's childhood, on a magazine: A-ha's vocalist hold a little dog as if this pet were a saccred , a precious one.
P°al looked like arrogant, but he have actually been too shy. Mags have always idolatred P°al until the day when the members got famous. On shows, a fan tried to buy the VIP entrance , but the band did not get glad, this fan nearly got arrested at the moment this one went to approximate to Morten... Coming back to book, about the a-ha members, there was fight against to each one and other , involving lost much money.... Terry Slater, the ex-manager of this band, and their "spirit father" confessed U2 and Genesis have always deserved the title of the best Pop-Rock Group....
A Brazilian singer-songwriter had already said an interesting sentence, before his death: I would prefer to being drugs user and saying the truth to pretending, because of the Fame...
We have never believed that artists are heroes... Only they are Media Icons... That's all. As for the parts of their biographies, there are much lies....
According to Adam Clayton, U2, he said A-ha was always a misunderstood band.... They were looked at as a group for teen-aged girls, but, in reality, they were a very creative band. Actually, their children traces in their faces could have been the main cause of several kinds of criticism....
In our opinion, the context of the lyrics was the reason.... It doesn't mean that we do not like a-ha's songs... Only it missed the good context of the lyrics... Maybe ex-a-ha's members and fans will get angry.... Excuse us....
Thank U for this opportunity at writing this review....
All the best.
D.K.