Californian singer Chris Isaak made his debut as a solo artist in 1985, although it wasn’t until the release of his 1989 album ‘Heart Shaped World’ and its associated singles that he would make any significant impact on the charts. His silky smooth voice, reverb-laden guitar playing and retro-inspired songwriting saw tracks like ‘Wicked Game’, ‘Blue Hotel’ and ‘Don’t Make Me Dream About You’ become popular in both his native US and all over the globe, transforming the singer into a superstar.
Of all Isaak’s tracks, it is ‘Wicked Game’ that is arguably the most memorable, and indeed the track is surely one of the most beautiful love songs of its generation. This is proved without doubt by a live rendition of the track that Isaak gave for US YouTube channel Radial by the Orchard back in 2021. With his voice sounding almost exactly as it did when the record was released over 30 years previously, the singer’s performance is steeped in effortless subtlety and undeniable stage presence.
With a full band in tow – including a guitarist who perfectly captures the song’s iconic riff – Isaak successfully recreates the delicate but passionate atmosphere of the original recording of ‘Wicked Game’. “This song is a perfect example of less is more,” claimed one of the video’s 83 million viewers, and the same goes for this live rendition, with every musician involved playing with a poise and restraint that ensures the track loses none of the intoxicating ambience of the original.
And if you don’t believe us, Music Man readers, be sure to check out this live performance of ‘Wicked Game’ from Isaak’s MTV Unplugged session back in the mid-1990s. We think you’ll agree that its mesmeric quality is reflected in the Radial by the Orchard performance, and that Isaak’s voice sounds incredibly warm and soulful in both videos. Perhaps one thing that the MTV performance wins on is its charmingly intimate feel, something that could be attributed to the presence of a live audience.
‘Wicked Game’ is widely considered to be one of the greatest songs of its generation, and these two videos prove that this verdict is certainly not unjustified. With its sultry melodies, yearning lyrics, and Isaak’s iconic vocals, it’s little wonder that in 2017 Dazed magazine also suggested that it was “the most influential love song in modern music.” But whilst this may be considered a controversial opinion for some, one thing we can be certain of is that people will still be listening to ‘Wicked Game’ for many, many years to come.
If you would like to hear more from this talented singer, you can follow Chris Isaak on Facebook, or visit his Website for more incredible music.