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.
King Without a Castle
Chris Isaak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh
Like a king without castle
Like a knight without a home
I call your name but there's no answer
And I'm left here on my own
Just wondering, wondering
Wondering, wondering, wondering
Does anybody know?
A man alone he has no future
A man alone he has no friends
There was a time I thought I found her
The one to love me 'til the end
Now I'm wondering, wondering
Wondering, wondering, wondering (wondering)
Where did our love go?
Does anybody know?
Does anybody know?
Wondering
Wondering
I'm like a king without castle
With a heart condemned to roam
I keep searchin' 'til I find you
'Til I do I'll be alone
Just wondering, wondering
Wondering, wondering, wondering
Where did our love go?
Does anybody know?
Anybody know?
Does anybody know?
Does anybody know?
Does anybody know?
Oh huh, yeah
The lyrics to Chris Isaak's King Without a Castle speak to the emptiness that can be felt when the love you once had is gone. The singer describes feeling like a king without a castle, which is typically a symbol of power and stability. Furthermore, he says he's like a knight without a home - a wandering nomad with no place to go. The feeling of being adrift and alone is emphasized when the singer calls out for his loved one but receives no answer. The singer is left wondering where their love went, questioning the dissolution of the relationship.
The singer continues to express that a man alone has no future and no friends. He thought he found the one to love him until the end, but now he's left wondering where she went. The singer is like a king without a castle and a heart condemned to roam. He is searching for his loved one, convinced that he will be alone until he finds her. The song is all about a search for love, and how leaving a relationship can make one feel lost, adrift, and desperately searching for answers.
Overall, the lyrics to King Without a Castle convey a deep sense of loss and loneliness that many can relate to. The singer is clearly desperate to find answers about what happened to his lost love, and his searching and wondering is a powerful metaphor for the search for love and connection that we all experience at some point in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh
Opening the song with an expression of sadness or concern.
Like a king without castle
Feeling lost and powerless with no sense of security or safety.
Like a knight without a home
Feeling adrift and without a sense of belonging or purpose.
I call your name but there's no answer
Trying to reach out to a person who is unresponsive, leading to feelings of loneliness and frustration.
And I'm left here on my own
Being abandoned and left to face the world alone.
Just wondering, wondering
Frequently contemplating and questioning the state of his relationship and life.
Where did our love go?
Expressing the puzzlement and longing that comes from the absence of a loving relationship.
Does anybody know?
Questioning whether anyone has answers or understanding regarding why things have taken the turns they have.
A man alone he has no future
Acknowledging that without love or companionship, life can seem without promise or hope.
A man alone he has no friends
Stating the idea that without people to share life's experiences, it can be a lonely existence.
There was a time I thought I found her
Recalling a time in the past when love felt possible and even imminent.
The one to love me 'til the end
Recalling the hope of finding lasting love, or the sense of betrayal that comes when love fails to last.
I'm like a king without castle
Comparing oneself to someone noble or powerful who has lost their home or their standing. Feeling adrift and powerless without the love he wants.
With a heart condemned to roam
Acknowledging feelings of being lost and wandering without direction or purpose in life, with the connotation of emotional pain that comes from the experience.
I keep searchin' 'til I find you
Expressing a willingness to persistently search until finding the love he seeks.
'Til I do I'll be alone
Declaring that until love is found, life will feel unfulfilling and lonely.
Anybody know?
Repeating the question, possibly in desperation, wondering if answers exist to his questions about love and life.
Oh huh, yeah
Closing out the song expressing a sense of resignation to his loneliness, but possibly leaving open the possibility for new beginnings.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS ISAAK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ruggierojerolli
Like a king without a castle
Like a knight without a home
I call your name but there's no answer
And I'm left here on my own
Just wondering, wondering
Where did our love go?
Does anybody know?
A man alone he has no future
A man alone he has no friends
There was a time I thought I found her
The one to love me 'til the end
Now I'm wondering, wondering
Where did our love go?
Does anybody know?
I'm Like a king without a castle
With a heart condemned to roam
I keep searchin' 'til I find you
'Til I do I'll be alone
Just wondering, wondering
Where did our love go?
Does anybody know?
Stone Roses
Wow can't believe I've just discovered this song. Keep listening to it on repeat. Such a beautiful, pensive, lamenting song.
Elenrad
I don't understand why this song doesn't appear in any best of album of C. Isaak, It's probably my favourite!
Tristan Kerkhove
It's literally in the thumbnail "best of Chris Isaak" but I agree it's a killer song, perfect for a sunny day
ruggierojerolli
Like a king without a castle
Like a knight without a home
I call your name but there's no answer
And I'm left here on my own
Just wondering, wondering
Where did our love go?
Does anybody know?
A man alone he has no future
A man alone he has no friends
There was a time I thought I found her
The one to love me 'til the end
Now I'm wondering, wondering
Where did our love go?
Does anybody know?
I'm Like a king without a castle
With a heart condemned to roam
I keep searchin' 'til I find you
'Til I do I'll be alone
Just wondering, wondering
Where did our love go?
Does anybody know?
Dale Halliday
Love the lyrics of King without a castle. I know all the words because it was in my mind for about 2 months. "Does anybody Know?" Just wondering.....
oneb14
Great voice!
Andrew Flood
I LOVE THIS SONG !!!!!
ruggierojerolli
What A Great Song For God's Sake.!!
kathleen m
this is one of my favorites .amazing
Deborah Bertolani
Wondering why it took me so long to discover Chris Isaak. Love his voice and of course his sexiness LOL