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.
Things Go Wrong
Chris Isaak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trying to forget her but I really haven't yet.
Things go wrong things go wrong.
Trying to remember what it was I said you'd done.
Really doesn't matter cause your still my only one.
Things go wrong things go wrong.
But in my heart I feel the same.
Don't be so quick to say we're through.
Things go wrong but I still love you.
Things go wrong, things go wrong.
Don't tell me that your love has changed.
Don't tell me it can't be the same.
Don't be so quick to say we're through.
Things go wrong, but I still love you.
I still love you, I still love you, I still love you.
The lyrics of Chris Isaak's "Things Go Wrong" touch upon the complexity of love and relationships as well as the difficulty of moving on from someone. The singer is struggling to forget someone that they know they should let go of, despite their efforts. Additionally, the singer speaks about trying to recall past events and mistakes, but realizing that they do not really matter in the grand scheme of things because the person they love is still the only one on their mind.
The chorus of "Things Go Wrong" reinforces that relationships are not always perfect and things can take a turn for the worse, but the singer is still clinging onto love and hoping that their partner feels the same way. The lyrics express the sentiment that love can sometimes feel like a burden or a chain, but the singer is still determined to try and make things work.
Overall, the song captures the messy and complicated nature of romantic relationships, showcasing the struggle to forget someone and move on while still holding onto hope for something more.
Line by Line Meaning
Trying to remember what I know I should forget.
I am struggling to forget something even though I know I should let go of it.
Trying to forget her but I really haven't yet.
I am attempting to move on from her, but I am not able to do so yet.
Things go wrong things go wrong.
Sometimes events do not unfold as expected even if you try your best.
Trying to remember what it was I said you'd done.
I am trying to recall something I accused you of before but cannot remember.
Really doesn't matter cause your still my only one.
I do not care about past faults, and I still love you regardless of everything.
I know that love is sometimes chained.
I understand that love can be complicated and constrained at times.
But in my heart I feel the same.
Despite the constraints on love and relationship, my feelings for you remain constant.
Don't be so quick to say we're through.
I plead with you not to end the relationship quickly that we share.
Things go wrong but I still love you.
Even if things go wrong, my love for you does not change.
Don't tell me that your love has changed.
I am begging you not to inform me that your love for me has vanished.
Don't tell me it can't be the same.
Please don't say that what we have can't be the same after all that we've been through.
I still love you, I still love you, I still love you.
My love for you is still strong and unwavering as ever before.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS ISAAK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind