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.
Lonely With A Broken Heart
Chris Isaak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So I won't
Upset myself
Seen you run from man to man, I could hate you but I understand
And I don't
I blame myself
It gets lonely
Lonely with a broken heart
It's hard to know what I would say, if you would ever walk away
But I won't
Concern myself
It's hard to know what I would do, if you would find somebody new
But I don't
Upset myself
It gets lonely
Lonely
Lonely with a broken heart
When I'm thinking of you, baby I still love you
If you ever need me, baby please believe me
Lonely
Lonely
Lonely with a broken heart
A broken heart [Repeat: x3]
Yeah
It's hard to know the way I feel, not knowing if your love is real
But I won't
Upset myself
Seen you run from man to man, I could hate you but I understand
And I don't
I blame myself
When I'm thinking of you, baby I still love you
If you ever need me, baby please believe me
Lonely
Lonely
Lonely with a broken heart
(Lonely)
Thinking of you
(Lonely)
Still I love you
(Lonely)
With a broken heart
It gets lonely with a broken heart
It gets lonely with a broken heart
A broken heart
A broken heart
Yeah!
In this song, Chris Isaak expresses his inner turmoil and heartbreak about being in a relationship where he is unsure if his partner's love is genuine. He understands that she has been with other men, and though he tries not to let it affect him, he finds himself feeling lonely and lost. He admits his love for her and offers his support if she ever needs him, but he also acknowledges the difficulty of the situation and resigns himself to not worrying about it.
The lyrics revolve around the theme of love and heartbreak, which many people can relate to. Isaak's melancholic voice and the haunting melody create a sense of sadness and longing. The line "I could hate you but I understand" is particularly powerful because it shows that even though the singer is hurt, he still empathizes with his partner's choices and behavior.
The chorus "It gets lonely, lonely, lonely with a broken heart" is a powerful statement about the emotional toll that heartbreak can take on a person. Despite the pain, Isaak chooses to focus on his love for his partner and his willingness to be there for her. The song is a reflection of the complexities and difficulties of relationships, and how heartbreak can leave someone feeling lost and alone.
Line by Line Meaning
It's hard to know the way I feel, not knowing if your love is real
I feel confused and uncertain about your love for me, which makes it difficult for me to understand and express my own feelings.
So I won't / Upset myself
Instead of dwelling on my doubts and fears, I choose to avoid getting upset by not thinking too much about it.
Seen you run from man to man, I could hate you but I understand
Although it hurts to see you with other men, I don't hate you because I can empathize with your own struggles and desires.
And I don't / I blame myself
Rather than assigning blame or resentment towards either of us for our relationship troubles, I take responsibility for my own part in them.
It gets lonely / Lonely / Lonely with a broken heart
Dealing with a broken heart and the difficulties of love can leave me feeling isolated, alone, and longing for connection.
When I'm thinking of you, baby I still love you / If you ever need me, baby please believe me / Lonely / Lonely / Lonely with a broken heart
Despite the pain and loneliness, I still feel a deep love for you and am willing to support and be there for you if you need me, even though I'm struggling with my own heartbreak.
It's hard to know what I would say, if you would ever walk away / But I won't / Concern myself
The possibility of losing you is scary and uncertain, but I choose not to worry about it too much and to focus on the present moment instead of imagining hypothetical scenarios.
It's hard to know what I would do, if you would find somebody new / But I don't / Upset myself
Although the idea of you being with someone else is painful, I try not to get too upset about it and trust that we'll both find our way.
(Lonely) / Thinking of you / (Lonely) / Still I love you / (Lonely) / With a broken heart / It gets lonely with a broken heart / A broken heart / A broken heart / Yeah!
The repeated refrain emphasizes the central theme of the song: the artist's loneliness and enduring love despite heartbreak.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chris Isaak
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind