Special Feature

[ Chris Isaak: The Ultimate Goth ]






Before you laugh, just keep in mind that Chris Isaak is Goth without trying to be. This is the man who gave the world Forever Blue, the cd with the 13(!) most gothic songs of lonliness in existence. (Well, outside of "real" goth songs)

In those moments when I suspect that I'm a total nerd for switching my TOOL, The Transplants, and Punk-O-Rama cds for Chris Isaak, I tend to think "But no one else knows my pain quite like Chris does."

Think about it.





He's a handsome, retro, rockabilly guy who had his first hit in the late 80's with the haunting melody "Wicked Game", and has had a legion of fans ever since. Yet he has based his entire career on album after album of nothing but heartbreaking songs of despair (which are much better than conventional Goth poetry, I might add).

He's 47, hasn't settled down, and lives alone in gloomy San Francisco with a houseful of tacky lamps. His personal life is a mystery. Some suspect he has been dealt a terrible blow by a woman. Others suspect (due to his ambiguous comments and decidedly flamboyent clothing) he is a flaming homosexual. No matter what the real story is, the fact remains that not only is he quite the quirky fellow, he's also pretty depressed.

Man, he is so goth.





If you still don't believe me, take a peek at some of his Goth-ier song titles in chronological order (keep in mind that I haven't even gotten to the *lyrics* yet).

"Funeral In The Rain"
"Voodoo"
"The Lonely Ones"
"Unhappiness"
"Tears"
"Lie To Me"
"Fade Away"
"You Took My Heart
"Cryin'"
"Waiting For The Rain To Fall"
"Wrong To Love You"
"Lonely With a Broken Heart"
"Solitary Man"
"Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing"
"Somebody's Crying"
"Don't Leave Me On My Own"
"Things Go Wrong"
"Forever Blue"
"Goin' Nowhere"
"Shadows In A Mirror"
"The End Of Everything"
"Please"
"Breaking Apart"
"Speak Of The Devil"
"Wanderin'"
"Black Flowers"
"7 Lonely Nights"
"Worked It Out Wrong"






So now your jaw has dropped, right? Chris Isaak is more gothic and alone than any fifteen year old teeny bopper with a bad Death of The Endless outfit has a right to be, yes? Yes. I cry for him. But still, are you ready for a real dose of Isaak-style gothic pain? Read virtually any of his song lyrics. Here are some various ones to get you started.



"The stars have all stopped shining, the sun just won't break through. Each day's the same, more clouds more rain. You're left forever blue."


"Big cold sunless skies, tumbling down, down, down, down."


"Seven lonely nights without a friend.
Something tells me this might be the end."


"If you think you're alone, if you think that it's wrong that you've only died inside. Always lonely, always lonely."


"I'm walking, I keep on walking down the street.
I'm watching, I keep on searching every face I meet.
I loved her but now I've lost her, love's in vain.
I watch a funeral in the rain."


"Look at all you lucky people, think of all the things you do. Look at all you happy people, wish I could be like you."


"Dance in a ring of flames, shadows fall the same, fire, love and pain."


"This is the end of happiness, this is the end of dreams. This is the end of everything, it's the end for you and me."


"I have only one regret. I hurt everyone I've met. And as I drift from town to town. There's nothing left to hold me down. I'm wanderin'. I am wanderin'."


"Daytime is lonely Night gets me blue Nothing to say now, nothing to do."


"But in your mirror you see the one who is crying, the lonely ones."


"Tears, all night long.
That's ok, I'm not strong."


"Blue Hotel, on a lonely highway, Blue Hotel, life don't work out my way. I wait alone each lonely night."


"You tell me stories that I wish were true. But I know better than to believe in you. I keep on cryin', I keep on cryin."


"There will be no love for me. There will be no love for me. No love for me, no love for me, no love for me."


"Tears may fall and clouds may gather, I should go I think I'd rather, Wait until there's no chance left at all. I'm just waiting for the rain to fall."


"Tell me mother, will I die. Yes my child and so shall I. And never know the reason why, little black flowers grow, in the sky. In the sky."


"No, I don't want to fall in love. (This world is only gonna break your heart) With you. With you. (This world is only gonna break your heart)"


"I blame myself. It gets lonely. Lonely. Lonely with a broken heart."


"Baby did a bad bad thing, feel like crying, feel like crying."


"I stay up late now 'cause I've been crying. I'd say I'm ok but I'd be lying. Please, Don't leave me on my own."


Speak of the devil,
The devil appears.
Been waiting for someone,
Lonely for years.


"I believe in lovers walking side by side. I believe that someday we'll be satisfied. I believe the angels listen god hears us pray. And I believe in a beautiful day. Yeah I believe it's gonna work out ok...

But not for me, and not for you."





Hmm. The more I look at these lyrics, the more I think that perhaps Chris might need to be put under suicide watch.

Well, I'm running out of steam due to this overwhelmingly depressing mood I'm suddenly in now (Gah! Those lyrics!). All I can say is: Buy his cds!

You may just save his life.


The End (Of Everything).






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[ Update! ]


So, I've finally seen the man in concert, from about ten feet away. He is quite goth, and also pretty prancy. He had on a bright pink suit, and, at some point, stripped off the coat to reveal a black fishnet undershirt. His other outfit was a sexy black suit...with unbelievable mirrored tiles all over it. Take from that what you will. He's still awesome in my book.

Also, the Finnish *goth* band HIM covered "Wicked Game" on their album Razorblade Romance. It's not only pretty good CD, it also proves my point: Chris is goth!




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