Lifelines (A-ha album) explained

Lifelines
Type:	studio
Artist:	A-ha
Cover:	A-ha_lifelines.jpg
Recorded:	June 2001 – January 2002
Genre:	Pop rock synth-pop
Length:	61:34
Label:	WEA
Producer:	Ian Caple Stephen Hague Martin Landquist Clive Langer Alan Winstanley
Prev Title:	Minor Earth Major Sky
Prev Year:	2000
Next Title:	Analogue
Next Year:	2005

Lifelines is the seventh studio album by the Norwegian band A-ha, released on 24 April 2002 by WEA. The album topped the charts in Norway and Germany, and reached the top 10 in Austria, Denmark, Poland and Switzerland. In 2019, Lifelines and Minor Earth Major Sky, both of A-ha's albums recorded for Warner Music Germany, were remastered and re-released with an extra disc, which contained demos, early versions and alternate mixes. They also received their first official vinyl releases.

Singles and videos

The video for the single "Forever Not Yours" was shot in Havana, Cuba. It was directed by Harald Zwart (who also directed the "Velvet" video) and the storyline is based on the story of Noah's Ark^[1] and today's celebrities. Look-alikes of Desmond Tutu, Madonna and Queen Elizabeth II are included, among others.

The video for the single "Lifelines" uses segments from the 1991 short film Året gjennom Børfjord, also known as A Year Along the Abandoned Road. In the short film a camera moves through a small village in Finnmark, Norway, while the seasons change.

Cover art

The cover for the album was made by Andy Frank during the shooting of the music video for "Forever Not Yours" in Havana. It is an edited image of Jose Marti Parque Stadium. In the booklet there are also images of old theatres and old American cars as well as other views which can be found on the streets of Havana.

Track listing

Notes

• signifies an additional producer
• The Russian version of the album contains an introduction spoken by Morten Harket in Russian.

Personnel

A-ha

• Morten Harket – vocals
• Magne Furuholmen – keyboards
• Paul Waaktaar-Savoy – guitars

Additional musicians

• Martin Landquist – additional instruments (1, 12, 13), additional loops (4)
• Sven Lindvall – bass guitar (1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 11, 13, 14)
• Jørun Bøgeberg – bass guitar (9, 10)
• Per Lindvall – drums (1, 2, 3, 7-11, 13, 14, 15)
• Attila Cederbygd – programmed beats (12)
• Joakim Milder – string arrangements (1, 5, 7, 8, 11, 15)
• Stockholm Session Strings – strings (1, 7, 8, 11, 15)
• Vertavo Quartet – strings (5)
• Anneli Drecker – female vocals (1, 11)

Technical

• Ulf Holand – engineer (1, 2, 3, 8, 11, 13, 15), Pro Tools operator (1, 2, 3, 8, 11, 13, 15)
• Bob Kraushaar – engineer (3), mixing (8)
• Mike Hartung – engineer (4-7, 9, 10, 15), Pro Tools operator (4-7, 9, 10, 15)
• Janne Hansson – string recording (1, 5, 7, 8, 11, 15)
• Michael Brauer – mixing (1-7, 9, 10, 13, 15)
• Carl-Michael Herlöfsson – mixing (12)
• Clive Langer – mixing (14)
• Alan Winstanley – mixing (14)
• Stephen Hague – Logic operator (1, 2, 3, 11), mixing (8, 11)
• Martin Landquist – Logic operator (1, 2, 11, 12, 13)
• Kjitel Bjerkestrand – Pro Tools operator (13, 15)
• George Marino – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York City, New York, USA) (1, 4-7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15)
• René Schardt – mastering at Galaxy Studios (Mol, Belgium) (2, 3, 8, 12)

Production and visual

• Yiva Neumann – production coordinator, personal manager
• Jan Walaker – design, photography
• Thomas Knutstad – additional design
• Olaf Heine – band photography
• Andy Frank – cover photography
• Sverre Flatby – managing director
• Brian Lane – management (London)

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2002)! scope="col"

Peak position
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)^[2]	20
European Albums (Music & Media)^[3]	4
Greek International Albums (IFPI)^[4]	9
Japanese Albums (Oricon)^[5]	99
Spanish Albums (AFYVE)^[6]	32

Year-end charts

Chart (2002)! scope="col"

Position
European Albums (Music & Media)^[7]	83
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[8]	23
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[9]	99

External links

• Web site: Discography site entry for Lifelines . https://web.archive.org/web/20030505160040/http://www.darsu.btinternet.co.uk/discography/A-ha/album6.htm#lifel . May 5, 2003 .
• The making of "A Year along the Abandoned Road"

Notes and References

1. Web site: Aha the netherlands website . 2006 . 2006-11-13 . 2006-12-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061206070338/http://www.a-ha.nl/ . dead .
2. Web site: Oficiální česká hitparáda IFPI ČR – 20. týden 2002 . Marketing & Media . cs . 17 May 2002 . 10 December 2020.
3. European Top 100 Albums . . 20 . 23 . 1 June 2002 . 20 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
4. Web site: Top 50 Ξένων Άλμπουμ . Top 50 Foreign Albums . el . . 9 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20020602064050/http://www.ifpi.gr/chart01.htm . 2 June 2002.
5. Web site: http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/27061/ranking/cd_album/ . ja:ａ〜ｈａのアルバム売り上げランキング . a-ha album sales ranking . ja . . 9 December 2020 . https://archive.today/20130629034605/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/27061/ranking/cd_album/ . 29 June 2013.
6. Book: Salaverrie, Fernando . September 2005 . Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 . es . 1st . Madrid . . 84-8048-639-2.
7. Year in Review – European Top 100 Albums 2002 . Music & Media . 21 . 2/3 . 11 January 2003 . 15 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
8. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 2002 . de . Offizielle Deutsche Charts . 9 December 2020.
9. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2002 . hitparade.ch . de . 31 January 2022.