Recording at Sun Studio intimidated Chris Isaak
Chris Isaak is one of those rare artists famous for one song but whose oeuvre is much more extensive than a singular trademark hit. The piece in question is the 1989 single ‘Wicked Game’, a moody moment coloured by Isaak’s passionate vocal performance and that haunting guitar line. Often misinterpreted as merely a hollow ballad, the track contains more substance than its detractors would believe.
Unsurprisingly, ‘Wicked Game’ contains great pulp, as suggested by David Lynch’s decision to include it as part of his 1990 drama Wild at Heart. In 2015, Isaak explained that the song was actually inspired by a telephone call with a sexual partner. Knowing that their dalliance was unhealthy, he penned the song before she came around.
Discussing the track, Isaak told the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: “It’s about four in the morning, and somebody calling and saying I’m coming over to your house, and I thought right after I said OK, I thought I should have never allowed this person to come over to my house. I know what’s going to happen.”
Continuing, he said: “I wrote the song between the time I got off the phone and the person came over to visit. It was just about what happens when you have a strong attraction to people that aren’t necessarily good for you. I think it hit a nerve because I think a lot of us have a strong attraction to people that aren’t necessarily good for us.”
While ‘Wicked Game’ is undoubtedly a masterpiece and a significant moment in Isaak’s career, this only accounts for a small part of his art. Cultivating a rockabilly style characterised by its heavy use of reverb, both his vocals and guitar playing earned him a host of plaudits over the years. Often likened to classic rockers such as Roy Orbison, Duane Eddy and even Elvis Presley, these comparisons demonstrate just how highly Isaak is regarded within the industry.
This reputation has opened many doors for the Californian musician, including helping him to enjoy an acting career, with Isaak featuring in titles such as The Silence of the Lambs and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. However, the doors his reputation opened in music have taken him to even greater climes.
In 2011, he released the cover album, Beyond the Sun. A collection of songs recorded by legendary Sun Records performers Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis, and there was no better place to record it than at the home of the record label, Sun Studio, Memphis, Tennessee.
Speaking to Songfacts, Isaak revealed that it was slightly intimidating for him to record at Sun Studio, given the number of icons that had graced the booth. Refusing to buckle under the pressure, the historical essence of the building convinced him to dig in and give the best performance possible out of respect for his heroes. “I have to say whatever it was, when you walk into that room and you’re a musician, everybody in my band – all of us – we had so much respect for the artists that had been in that room,” he said. “I mean, for God’s sake, you’re sitting in the chair, or you’re standing there singing, and you go, ‘Howlin’ Wolf stood right here. Elvis Presley was here. B.B. King played his guitar right there. Bill Black was playing bass there.’ And all the sudden you’re standing there, and you’re going, ‘I want to do a great job. I’m going to do the best I can.’ Because it’s kind of out of respect for those guys.”
