Isaak's music can be described as a blend of country, blues, rock'n'roll, pop and surf rock.
He signed a contract to Warner Brothers Records in 1984 for his first album "Silvertone". Isaak's contract was renewed in 1988 when Warner moved him to their Reprise Records label.
His best-known song is "Wicked Game". Though released on the 1989 album "Heart Shaped World", an instrumental version of the song was later featured in the David Lynch film 'Wild at Heart' (and also years later in the 2000 film The Family Man). An Atlanta radio station DJ began playing the full version and it quickly became a nation-wide top ten hit. The music video for the song was directed by Herb Ritts and was a big MTV and VH1 hit; shot in black and white, it starred Isaak and model Helena Christensen rolling on the beach, embracing and whispering in each others' ears.
In 1999, Isaak's "Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing" was featured in Stanley Kubrick's final film 'Eyes Wide Shut', starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.
In 2001, Chris Isaak starred in his own television show, 'The Chris Isaak Show'. It aired from March 2001 to March 2004 in the United States on the cable television network Showtime. This adult comedy show featured Chris Isaak and his band playing themselves with the episode plots based on fictional accounts of the backstage world of Chris Isaak - the rock star next door.
In 2004, his track "Life Will Go On" was featured on the 'Chasing Liberty' soundtrack, which starred Mandy Moore and Matthew Goode.
He hosted a talk show on the Biography cable channel in the United States in 2009 that offered a unique twist - each guest was a musical artist, and both Chris and the artist performed various songs throughout each show. Eight episodes aired in early 2009, featuring guests Trisha Yearwood, Stevie Nicks, Glen Campbell, Michael Buble, Chicago, The Smashing Pumpkins, Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), and Jewel.
Isaak has also appeared in numerous films, mostly playing minor cameo roles, though he starred with Keanu Reeves and Bridget Fonda in the 1993 Bernardo Bertolucci-directed 'Little Buddha', and also played a major role in David Lynch's 'Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me' (1992). Other motion pictures include 'Married to the Mob' (1988), 'The Silence of the Lambs' (1991), 'That Thing You Do!' (1996), and 'A Dirty Shame' (2004). He also guest-starred on the Super Bowl Sunday (1996) edition of the television sitcom Friends and on the HBO miniseries, From the Earth to the Moon (HBO).
Chris is also an amateur boxer, avid surfer and a former Golden Gloves champion.
I'm Not Sleepy
Chris Isaak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the middle of the dream I call your name.
In the middle of the dark I wake up.
Fumble for the phone when you hear it ring.
Let's all stay up all night.
Everything's gonna be alright.
Come on over you can hang with me.
[Chorus]
Say,
I'm not sleepy,
I'm not sleepy
Well ya wake up in the middle of the night,
your feeling lonely, everybody needs somebody, but you'll be alright.
Ya wake up in the middle of the night,
you feel so lonely, don't ya worry bout it baby, cause tonight's the night,
[Chorus]
In the middle of the night you wake up.
In the middle of the night you call my name.
In the middle of a dream I wake up.
Fumble for the phone when I hear it ring.
Let's all stay up all night.
Everything's gonna be alright.
Well ya wake up in the middle of the night, your feeling lonely,
and your wondering what I'm doing, would it be alright.
Ya wake up in the middle of the day, you say you're sleeping,
well of course you're sleeping, baby you've been up all night.
[Chorus: x2]
Oh no, no, no, no, not sleepy
The lyrics to Chris Isaak's "I'm Not Sleepy" explore the feeling of loneliness that one might experience in the middle of the night. The singer wakes up and calls the name of their loved one, seeking comfort and companionship. The middle of the dark represents the isolation that one might feel while trying to navigate life alone. However, the singer finds solace in the fact that their loved one is just a phone call away. The song speaks to the universal human need for companionship and the comfort it can provide.
The chorus provides a sense of reassurance, as the singer repeatedly declares, "I'm not sleepy." This can be interpreted as a refusal to let loneliness and isolation take over, instead choosing to stay up all night with a loved one and make the most of the time they have together. The song suggests that even in the darkest of moments, there is always hope for connection and love.
Overall, "I'm Not Sleepy" is a deeply emotional song that speaks to the human experience of loneliness and the desire for connection. Isaak's evocative lyrics and haunting vocals make for a powerful and memorable track.
Line by Line Meaning
In the middle of the night I wake up.
Chris Isaak wakes up in the middle of the night and feels lonely.
In the middle of the dream I call your name.
He dreams about the person he is missing and calls their name.
In the middle of the dark I wake up.
Chris Isaak wakes up feeling lonely in the middle of the darkness.
Fumble for the phone when you hear it ring.
He tries to reach the phone to call the person he is missing when it rings.
Let's all stay up all night.
Chris Isaak wants to stay up all night and enjoy the company of the person he is missing.
Everything's gonna be alright.
He believes that everything will be okay if they stay together.
Come on over you can hang with me.
He invites the person he is missing to come over and spend time with him.
Lie in bed we'll watch T.V.
He suggests that they both lie in bed and watch television together.
Say, I'm not sleepy, I'm not sleepy.
Chris Isaak reassures the person he is missing that they don't have to sleep and can enjoy each other's company all night.
Well ya wake up in the middle of the night, your feeling lonely, everybody needs somebody, but you'll be alright.
Chris Isaak knows that everybody feels lonely at times, but the presence of someone special can make them feel alright.
Ya wake up in the middle of the night, you feel so lonely, don't ya worry bout it baby, cause tonight's the night,
He tells the person he is missing not to worry and that tonight is the perfect night to spend time together.
In the middle of the night you wake up.
Chris Isaak thinks that the person he is missing may also wake up in the middle of the night and feel lonely.
In the middle of the night you call my name.
He hopes that the person he is missing calls his name when they wake up feeling lonely.
Well ya wake up in the middle of the night, your feeling lonely, and your wondering what I'm doing, would it be alright.
Chris Isaak understands that the person he is missing may feel curious about what he is doing in the middle of the night and offers reassurance.
Ya wake up in the middle of the day, you say you're sleeping, well of course you're sleeping, baby you've been up all night.
He understands that the person he is missing may sleep in the middle of the day after staying up all night together.
Oh no, no, no, no, not sleepy.
Chris Isaak and the person he is missing are not interested in sleeping and want to enjoy each other's company all night long.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS ISAAK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind