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.
Wicked Game
Chris Isaak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's strange what desire will make foolish people do
I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you
And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you
No, I don't wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I don't wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart)
With you
(This world is only gonna break your heart)
What a wicked game you play, to make me feel this way
What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you
What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way
What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you
And I don't wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I don't wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart)
With you
The world was on fire and no one could save me but you
Strange what desire will make foolish people do
I never dreamed that I'd love somebody like you
And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you
No, I don't wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I don't wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart)
With you (this world is only gonna break your heart)
With you (with you)
(This world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I (this world is only gonna break your heart)
(This world is only gonna break your heart)
Nobody loves no one
The lyrics of Chris Isaak's Wicked Game capture the tension between the intensity of emotions felt in a romantic relationship and the fear of getting hurt. The first two lines set the tone for the song, highlighting the despair and the helplessness that one feels when the world seems to be closing in on them, without anyone to help them. However, the singer finds solace in the person he is singing to. He acknowledges the foolishness that desire can cause in people and notes that he never expected to meet someone like them. However, despite this, he fears losing that person and exposes his vulnerability.
The chorus of the song is an admission that the desire has taken over and the need to return to a state of emotional safety is important to the singer. Despite the passion he feels, he acknowledges that the world is cruel, and falling in love can lead to heartbreak. He grapples with the inherent conflict between the desire to love and the anxiety around getting hurt. The rest of the song retells the struggle between his desire for the one that he is with and the apprehension that this will lead to a failed relationship.
Overall, Wicked Game is a song that captures the conflicting emotions of desire, passion, and fear. The lyrics touch upon the complexities of love, and the power that it holds over people.
Line by Line Meaning
The world was on fire and no one could save me but you
I was in a desperate situation and you were the only one who could help me.
It's strange what desire will make foolish people do
Desire can make people behave irrationally and do foolish things.
I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you
Meeting someone as amazing as you was beyond my imagination.
And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you
Losing someone as special as you was something I never thought would happen to me.
No, I don't wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart)
I'm hesitant to fall in love because this world can be cruel and heartbreaking.
What a wicked game you play, to make me feel this way
Your actions towards me are manipulative and hurtful.
What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you
Leading me on by letting me believe you feel the same way is a cruel thing to do.
What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way
Telling me you never felt the same way about me is a heartless thing to say.
What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you
Leading me on by letting me believe you feel the same way is a cruel thing to do.
With you
Despite everything, there is still a part of me that wants to be with you.
(This world is only gonna break your heart)
I still have reservations about the harsh and unforgiving nature of the world.
No, I (this world is only gonna break your heart)
I'm still hesitant about the world and the potential for heartbreak.
(This world is only gonna break your heart)
The world can be a difficult and heartbreaking place to live.
Nobody loves no one
At the end of the day, it can seem like love is hard to find and maybe even nonexistent.
Lyrics © Broma 16, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chris Isaak
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@captainnikolascolt
The world was on fire and no one could save me but you
It's strange what desire will make foolish people do
I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you
And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you
No, I don't wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I don't wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart)
With you
With you
(This world is only gonna break your heart)
What a wicked game you play, to make me feel this way
What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you
What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way
What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you
And I don't wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I don't wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart)
With you
The world was on fire and no one could save me but you
Strange what desire will make foolish people do
I never dreamed that I'd love somebody like you
And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you
No, I don't wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I don't wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart)
With you (this world is only gonna break your heart)
With you (with you)
(This world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I (this world is only gonna break your heart)
(This world is only gonna break your heart)
Nobody loves no one
@nnnnnkkkk233
Anyone here in 2024?
@elektratwain
☝️
@massimo790
🙋♂️ Just bought the Vinyl to reach the best Sound of this Masterpiece
@thetruth9286
Yes - And this tune is a dream. Would like to know how they kept it all business on the set and AFTER.
@stevecooper7883
Dating apps reminded me of this song
@larrybeavens7580
I’m 76, and if I were confined to isolation and could take 5 songs with me, this one would be at the top of the list. I said that 30 years ago, and I still feel that way today. It’s haunting, it’s beautiful, it’s calming…thank you, Chris, for my all-time favorite song.
@MusicVideoCompilations
I agree! But if you could take 10 songs with love theme... Please check my review with 10 awesome music videos with LOVE THEME: https://youtu.be/GmbRHOGO4Gs Hope you'll find some others unforgettable music videos!
@adityasaikia3352
What are other?
@900black
What are the other four please?
@larrybeavens7580
I don’t know; there would be a lot of songs in the running. I’d take Wicked Game in a heartbeat, then I’d have to think on the other 4…