Kirk Hammett, Robert Trujillo Cover A-Ha's "Take On Me" as Two-Man Band

It's become a tradition in Metallica's live shows, particularly those abroad, that guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo do a spot onstage as just a duo, covering a song associated with whatever country in which they're performing that evening.

At a recent show in Oslo, Norway, Hammett and Trujillo attempted one of the biggest international hits to come from a Norwegian group: "Take On Me" by A-Ha. It's a great idea that was sure to amuse the audience, though surely many fans were surprised the cover wasn't an instrumental one!

Trujillo (who handles some live backing vocals in Metallica) attempted to sing the song while playing it on bass. And while Trujillo is a serviceable backing vocalist to James Hetfield's baritone, he's got nowhere near the two-and-a-half octave range required to sing the vocal line by A-Ha's Morten Harket.  

Watch the footage above.

To be fair to Trujillo and Hammett, part of the charm of this part of Metallica's show is giving fans something they'll never see again. Trujillo knew he wouldn't be able to hit those notes in the chorus (he probably thought he'd be in key for the rest of the song) but it's about getting the crowd to sing along and have a good time. By the look of all the smiling faces of Norwegian 'Tallica fans, it worked great.

Also, it was Metallica who shared the pro-shot footage on the band's own YouTube channel, so they're not ashamed of the performance or anything.

Metallica is touring northern Europe this May, returning home in time for the Day of Giving on May 23. The band then plans to take the summer to recharge before heading back out on the road in the fall for the final U.S. leg of its WorldWired Tour. 

Get all the tour dates here. 

Check out the original version of "Take On Me" below.

Photo: Getty Images