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.
Speak of the Devil
Chris Isaak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The devil appears
Waiting for someone
Been waiting for years
And it's alright now
Yeah I'm alright now
Watching her walking
Trying to forget her
Don't mention her name
And I'm alright now
Yeah I'm alright now
Lonely days without her
Nights that would not end
As long as I don't think about her
I can still pretend
It's alright
Yeah
Speak of the devil
The devil appears
Been waiting for someone
Lonely for years
But I'm alright now
Yeah I'm alright now
It's alright
It's alright
Speak of the devil
Speak of the devil
Speak of the devil
"Speak of the Devil" is a song by American musician Chris Isaak. The lyrics depict a man's longing for a woman whom he cannot have. The devil himself is used as a metaphor for the woman's alluring and possibly destructive nature. The chorus repeats the phrase "speak of the devil, the devil appears" as if to suggest that just the thought of her can summon her presence. The verses describe the singer's struggle to move on from this woman and not let her consume his thoughts. He admits to feeling alright now, but it's unclear if he's truly moved on or just pretending.
The song's instrumentation matches the melancholic tone of the lyrics. The guitar playing a simple progression evokes a feeling of sadness and longing. Isaak's voice is full of emotion as he sings the verses, almost as if he's talking to himself. However, the chorus is more upbeat, with a bright guitar riff and the repeated phrase "it's alright" giving a sense of hopefulness.
"Speak of the Devil" was released in 1988 as a single from Isaak's album "Heart Shaped World". The song was moderately successful, reaching #29 on the US Billboard Modern Rock charts. Its popularity grew over time and it became one of Isaak's most recognizable songs.
Line by Line Meaning
Speak of the devil
The person I have been longing to see/hear from
The devil appears
Finally, the person who has been on my mind appears
Waiting for someone
Having been so lonely and really needed someone to come around
Been waiting for years
The duration of time without that person finally arriving felt like a lifelong ordeal
And it's alright now
Now that they finally showed up, everything feels fine again
Yeah I'm alright now
I feel okay that they have shown up
Watching her walking
The sight of that person walking towards me is so soothing
Like watching a flame
Watching her walk makes me feel warm and comforted
Trying to forget her
I have tried without success to forget her
Don't mention her name
Hearing her name only brings back all the feelings that I'm trying to suppress
And I'm alright now
Despite the feeling that comes with the memory that her name brings, I am still okay
Yeah I'm alright now
I feel okay because she's no longer just a memory but now here with me
Lonely days without her
The days without her in my life were full of loneliness
Nights that would not end
It felt like the darkness of the night lasted forever without her
As long as I don't think about her
I only feel happy when I don't think too much about her
I can still pretend
Focusing on other things, I can pretend that my life is fine without her
It's alright
I've made peace with the fact that it's good to have her back
Speak of the devil
Finally, the person I have been longing to see/hear from
The devil appears
Finally, the person who has been on my mind appears
Been waiting for someone
Having been so lonely and really needed someone to come around
Lonely for years
I have been lonely for so long without that particular person in my life
But I'm alright now
My life is much better now that they are here
Yeah I'm alright now
I feel comfortable now that my person is here and we are reunited
It's alright
After a long period of being apart, everything is good again
It's alright
After a long period of being apart, everything is good again
Speak of the devil
Finally, the person I have been longing to see/hear from
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS ISAAK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind