I once heard a description of Chris Isaak: he is what would happen if Elvis and Roy Orbison had a baby and it was born into the body of Michelangelo's David. Been a fan for decades. Thank you for this.

I was at sound check for his show in NYC in 2010. Was demoing guitars for the opening bands guitar players. From what I heard on stage, his pitch is so naturally good that I think it’s criminal they edited this performance so heavily.

@wonsworld61

7 ай бұрын

100% agree. I have seen him a bunch of times and its been a bloody pleasure every time

@towertone

7 ай бұрын

Yes, when we saw him a couple of years ago he was dead-on the entire night with both vocals and humor!@@wonsworld61

@Frip36

5 ай бұрын

A bloody pleasure? You guys really say this in England? @@wonsworld61

He's got a deep soulful voice ..love this song.

Look, I’m not gonna say I’m Chris’ biggest fan, but I have seen him many, many times, at outdoor venues back in Michigan, inside auditoriums, the House of Blues in Chicago and the Grand Ole Opry here in Tennessee. Most recently at a little record shop, Grimeys, in Nashville. I always say he is absolutely the best entertainer around. His shows are so much fun! I’ve even taken my kids when they were little. It’s criminal what they’ve done to this performance as the man always sounds great live. Even now that he’s older, he maybe can’t hit the high notes like he used to but who cares? If your looking to see a really good show, you can’t go wrong seeing Chris Isaak.

@susanmurray7654

6 ай бұрын

Did you watch his TV show? That was great. Maybe it was on VH1...

@louannlang7471

5 ай бұрын

I was wondering why . of all performers to choose from, they chose Chris Isaaks to point out for using pitch correction (as if its never been done by anyone ever)...with LOADS OF CURRENT FAKES in the music industry I would think a more popular artist would get more views for the reactor 😆 JS lol I respect him and I just don't get it.

@nicolehand

20 күн бұрын

Try actually looking at the channel before putting your whole entire foot in your mouth next time

No pitch correction was needed for Chris. What a voice! Thanks for sharing.

Absolutely loved the single coil Fender guitar tone from the original recording. Chris’s vocals on the original recording seemed effortless it’s hard to know how hard he had to work to achieve his performance. For me, it was one of the landmark albums of the 90s.

@jjakes5589

7 ай бұрын

It came out in the late 80's, The album was recorded in 1988 I understand.

@TheGotoGeek

6 ай бұрын

I miss Jimmy.

Chris has a hauntingly beautiful voice, reminds me of Roy Orbison and Elvis. Thanks, Fil, for this enlightening analysis.

@Frip36

5 ай бұрын

I want to be hauntingly beautiful. But I'm a creep.

Thanks for covering Chris. He's such an amazing singer and sadly overlooked today.

@danielbrosky

7 ай бұрын

Chris, for me, has always beautifully vocally expressed the Japanese concept of "wabi-sabi" .

@darthtraya5992

7 ай бұрын

Anyone with any true musical talent is overlooked for people who twerk and scissor on stage

@danielbrosky

7 ай бұрын

@@darthtraya5992 Isn't that the sad and sorry truth!

@1allstarman

6 ай бұрын

I thought the point of the video is he is using pitch correction ! @@darthtraya5992

@kerrythomas6220

5 ай бұрын

@@darthtraya5992Check out Angelina Jordan Unchained Melody at the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize Awards.

I was fortunate enough to see Chris Issak live at the Moody Auditorium in Austin, Tx (home of Austin City Limits). The most amazing performer I've seen. If he hit any bad notes during his performance of "Wicked Games" it didn't matter, as this song is so haunting that you almost anticipate perfect flaws, as being haunted is by its nature imperfection. All of this correction is taking away that most important aspect of music, being human.

@michaelgeorge5436

7 ай бұрын

I agree, he is incredible in concert. The Japanese have a saying, Wabi Sabi= perfection is in the imperfection

@toneenorman2135

7 ай бұрын

@@michaelgeorge5436Thank you for that cool Japanese saying! I’m going to use it🎶👍

I was at a music festival a few years back and Chris Isaak was in on the bill. I was like, meh. Then he started playing. I was captivated. His talent is incredible and he is a real showman. I would rate him one of the best artists I have ever seen live. And I have seen hundreds.

Saw CI in Austin Tx many years ago (touring to support Blue album).... He sang the entire 3 hrs or so ...while the rest of the band took breaks he kept playing and singing. After the show there was a two hr meet/greet that went on did dawn. They got in the bus, left.... Performed in next town. He was talking in between songs. Just very PRESENT .... ***When he hit that one high note....and held it so long the entire place got quiet. My friend grabbed my hand and we both had goose bumps. The note stretched and went on and on. Amazing singer Btw-Opening act got BOOED 2 songs in.... The Wallflowers right before One Headlight broke.

@Jeff-jg7jh

6 ай бұрын

I've seen opening acts that were embarrassing and never deserved to open for some great bands.

Chris is absolutely perfect live and doesn’t need pitch correction. A shame the industry does this.

@scottrackley4457

3 ай бұрын

"Look what they did to my boy!"

Hi Fil, I have always found that this song has a beautiful haunting melody. Very different when it came out and I think it holds that same mystique today. Too bad someone thought it needed to be pitch corrected. That is kind of the point of this song is too be off kilter to convey the emotional message of the song. Great analysis and guitar demonstration, always appreciate it! Thanks for all you do! Debbie☮️

I always considered him across between Chet Baker and Elvis. I've seen him live twice and he's always sounded great.

@RSVPini

7 ай бұрын

Also, he sounds like he was very much influenced by Roy Orbison.

@earlgrey691

7 ай бұрын

@@RSVPini Beat me to it.Deffo from the same RO veil of tears realm.

@lyallg7925

7 ай бұрын

Chris’s and Elvis’s version of Chet’s ‘How’s The World Treating You’, are nothing short of stunning.

@M0odyBlue

7 ай бұрын

He looks like that, too!

I love how my brain always tells me it's a slow tempo song but when you watch the drummer it's not actually that slow. Very clever and after all these years it still melts me!

@russellmiller9977

7 ай бұрын

Kenney Dale Johnson, drummer & vocals

Love Wicked Game. Isaak could sing! And that lead in electric guitar gives me chills every time. (and it doesn't NEED any of this correction)

The world was on fire, and no one could save me but you What a SONG! What a voice! I love it! Thanks, Fil!

@danielbrosky

7 ай бұрын

Second your comments! Thanks Fil. Great appreciation for Chris.

@A.Briggs628

7 ай бұрын

@@danielbrosky Thanks, Daniel! 👍😊

@danielbrosky

7 ай бұрын

A.B - Chris, for me, has always beautifully vocally expressed the Japanese concept of "wabi-sabi" . Can't help but zen out when I listen to him!

I was pretty obsessed with this song when it initially came out and the first thing I noticed was that Chris Isaak lost a lot of the "cry" in his voice with the pitch correction, which robs it of a lot of the emotion. I agree that the backing vocals are kind of a distraction too. It was such a great song, really different from a lot of the songs out at the time, and just dripped with emotion, so I will stick with the original version! BTW, loved the eye roll at 14:44 with that held note! 😂

I absolutely fell in love with this song when it first came out. His voice is so different from other male singers. I wish others would quit manipulating pure music.

Chris Isaak was standing outside looking into my store when he was young and so was i young... he had been jogging with headphones and I thought who is that guy checking me out as all egotistical young things do until i realized that it was Chris Isaak giving that look when celebrities think that they are being recognized... 😂 as very famous people often do 😂❤ it was my second run in with him during that time period... for some reason, he was playing at some event i attended and as i was far higher than is usual for me, i reached out as he was playing and touched a spangly sequin item on his costume. as i was gentle and merely transfixed more than i should have been but relatively harmless, a roadie very gently removed my hand and Mr. Isaak looked unfazed ... i hope to this day, he was as unbothered as he looked. lovely voice. ❤

That "flip" you're talking about is used extensively in YODELING and used to great effect in earlier country music. In fact, his use of this vocal technique makes this track sound more like country music, to my ear anyway. Does anyone else notice this style trait that makes it sound "country"?

@lyallg7925

7 ай бұрын

Yes! When I read your comment I recalled those country singing and square dancing shows which used to be shown on tv when I was a child.

@savegraysoncats

5 ай бұрын

I thought it was a country song when it came out

I remember watching Chris in an old SNL episode rerun. The man's voice is Amazing and the performance, flawless. True artist. A very talented man

Brilliant performer and great band. When Chris Isaak first came to UK he was on the radio a lot ! He's no doubt the funniest celeb I have ever heard. A really top sense of humour.

I remember when Wicked Game first came out; I was mesmerized. Chris Isaak's voice is unique and doesn't need "help". The guitar work always reminded me of being in a dreamy trance. And oh yeah, I really, really hate auto tune, pitch correction, etc.; it just takes all of the character out of a song. Fil, could you pretty please find the original version of Wicked Game and analyze that recording?

@lizgrosset1012

7 ай бұрын

yes please

@patricklynch1962

5 ай бұрын

I second that request, not just for Isaak's voice but also for James Calvin Wilsey's vastly superior performance on the guitar.

@kerrythomas6220

3 ай бұрын

Why? It’ll just show it wasn’t pitch corrected and he was missing most of the pitches.

@veecee3669

3 ай бұрын

@@kerrythomas6220 You obviously aren't a fan, so why watch a video regarding Chris Isaac? There are many of us who do like his unique vocal ability.

@kerrythomas6220

3 ай бұрын

@@veecee3669 I’m a huge fan. No singers hit the pitch line exactly consistently during a song. My point was why expose this fact to his fans who probably think he is a lot more pitch accurate than he is. That video he made with Helena Christensen of Wicked Games is one of my all time favorites. Never assume something about someone about whom you know nothing.

It’s a rudiment of yodeling. I’m sure you could learn it. If notIwould be super surprised. Love the haunting hypnotic melody of this song. I remember when it first hit the radio.

Chris is one of my favorite singers and I don't think he gets the credit he deserves for his phenomenal voice and tasteful guitar playing. No need to pitch correct his sublime voice!

The drummer is singing the harmony at the end. His microphone boom comes over top of him from behind and you can see him stretch his neck to reach it when he sings.

One of my favorite songs ever. Great job reviewing song. He does not need any pitch correction.

@verpeiler089

3 ай бұрын

Thing is.. we don't know how the original performance was... for some reason they did the pitch corrections.

Looks to me like it's the drummer singing that off harmony note at the end. I've always loved this song. So moody and expressive.

It's sacrilege to do this to Chris' performance. His singing is distinctive in how effortlessly & accurately he slides between notes right through his impressive range - like beautifully played slide guitar. Autotune just destroys that. I've seen him live several times &, yes, the man needs no help to sound amazing. ❤

@tomgreene121

4 ай бұрын

Agreed. I would like to know exact proof that compression and pitch correction were used for this. This performance wasn't last week...it was a long time ago. I saw him live and he sounded exactly like this.

One of my most FAVORITE songs of all time. Ringing guitars and the expressive voice of Chris is the perfect combination. Jumping from the chest voice to the head voice is perfect!

James Calvin Wilsey -- Rest in Peace. May your sound never be forgotten.

They used to say Chris looked like Elvis and sounded like Orbison.

I've seen the Stones, Tull, Petty, etc. over the years, but some how I've seen Chris Isaac more times than any artist. If he comes through your town, simply go. Go see him. He never disappoints.

@wookie7409

14 күн бұрын

I agree-I’ve seen him 3X in concert and he’s such an entertainer (love the mirror jacket he saves for the end) and incredibly talented….

My introduction to Chris Isaak a few decades ago was hearing Blue Hotel on the radio and I was blown away. His voice and that beautiful guitar was like nothing else being played on the radio at that time. I had to find out who it was and bought the CD which I played to death. Still one of my favourite musicians today and have nearly all his albums.

What a great emotional, effortless voice,, His varied range of pitch is amazing. Love your voice too Fil. Wonderful song.

Moody, haunting melody and lyrics, sung by a man with the perfect natural voice for it.

It's the Drummer who is singing the backing vocal at the end! The Drummer is also singing backing vocals throughout the song. Watch again around 17:50, you'll see his head moves forward and is singing.

@Brose_Addy_and_Gang

2 ай бұрын

Yes! Kenny is the main background vocal for Chris

His voice has so much depth, such a full velvety texture...true (deep) baritone....his falsetto is angelic as well...typical 80s men voice and rockabilly singing style

I saw him sing this live, I was in the front row and he sounded just as good as the studio cut. Pretty amazing singer.

I love Chris Isack... seen him live a few times

See Chris live if you can. He always puts on a great show and doesn’t need pitch correction!

I’ve seen him 3 times and each time he and the band were awesome!

The music, the song, and the voice. Love this performance, even with the correction. Thanks for looking at this one Fil.

one of my most favorite songs,Chris needs no pitch correction.

I think that last harmony at the end of the song is the drummer. You can see him pick up his head and sing into his mic.

I love this song & Chris!

Thank you, Fil. Thanks for the education.

Saw him live three times at a mountain winery in California. A lifetime ago. ❤

One of my favorites

The original had a haunting quality that the edited version lacks. I really appreciate learning about auto correct from watching your videos. It makes me appreciate authentic performance so much more.

C. Isaak has ever been one my altime favourite singers...this song is so touching

Big hit. Totally Roy Orbison vocals.

LOL, I saw "PREFECT" in the title but when it started, it wasn't. I saw him in Ft. Worth and he was wearing a mirrored sports coat - like a disco ball. It was hilarious, and he thought so too. The striking thing in person was the equality of all the band members. He's the voice, but he defers to them, and they'll correct him. Of course, this is rare because they are all precise. Mad respect.

Such a beautiful song & voice! Why must they mess with a good thing! 🤬 Thank you, Fil

Gorgeous song

Wicked Game is aperfect song. Chris' voice is perfection and needs NO HELP sounding perfect. It's a shame his career , while successful, didn't reach the heights it should have. Thanks Fil for bringing Wicked Game to our attention.

I've always loved this song. It's so hauntingly beautiful. The video he put out with it is beautiful too.

RE: orphaned harmony - It's the drummer in red. You can see in the original at 0.34 he's miced up for vocals and at 16:52 of your video you can see his head snap to where his mic is.

The drummer is singing "nobody" with Chris at the end of the song, there is the harmony !

I call that flip a yodel. Leona lewis has it too.. and I love it

Notice so many are doing the analysis vids now. But Fil, yours will always be the best. I sure enjoy your presentations. Thank you.

One interesting thing is that Chris is actually switching up the melody quite a bit from the studio recording here. In almost every line he's changing at least one note. That implies that he's ad-libbing. Most singers that are capable of doing that have great natural pitch. So I'm guessing this would have sounded fine without the pitch correction.

That record and his music drew on everything from Elvis , Big O, Del Shannon. Backing vocals there were very Travelling Wilberrys. Was brilliant, best of it's kind. Nice info brother.!

I saw Chris Isaak perform many years ago. He has such a unique recognizable voice. I haven't heard this song in a long time. Wow! wonderful to hear it again. Thanks, Fil! You always surprise me with your knowledge of so many different artists! Good grief, I just remembered something funny about Chris. During an interview he told the world that he suffered from bad breath!🤣

He has a gorgeous voice!

The stray harmony at the end looks like it was being sung by the drummer, difficult to see but, I saw him lean in to the mic’ and then out again when the harmony finishes. 👍

You broaden my world of music by exposing me to new artists and techniques. I think of every art as a type of puzzle on how the artists combine various pieces/ elements to come up with something new. Your analysis helps me to examine those pieces and show how they are used to form the final product. Thank you, Fil. I appreciate you!❤ peace.

@danielbrosky

7 ай бұрын

Ditto that excellent comment, Marcia! Fil's videos are treasures of painlessly transmitted technical explanation and info!! Thanks Fil!

@1msbucket

7 ай бұрын

Agree!

There's so much I didn't catch in this song. Now I can't unhear it.

His TV show was a hoot.

An amazing performance Ive always loved this song and Chris Isaak, very Roy Orbison influence but his own unique style. He deserved to be better known

I’ve seen Chris perform this song live many times. He always nails it !!! Thanks for presenting this song.❤

Oh so glad you analyzed this performance! I had the luck to see them perform live a few years ago just after Johnny Cash passed. They played a few songs as tribute. The music was superb. I was in the sixth row and I could see all the non-verbal cues between the band members. It added so much to my experience. They are a tight group. Chris's voice was cool, smooth, velvety, almost liquid. No need for any "correction " or "enhancement ". I encourage everyone to see them perform live. You will carry that memory with you.

@lauraallen55

7 ай бұрын

Do you mean Chris when you say 'them'? Or does he have a new band?

@MikeD_

7 ай бұрын

@@lauraallen55 Chris has had the same band forever. Although Chris is the lead singer, his fans think of them as a group.

@lauraallen55

7 ай бұрын

I thought so on having the same band, but I've always hear him referred to as 'him'. His CDs say 'Chris Isaak' rather than that + 'band' Thanks, was just curious! :)@@MikeD_

@MikeD_

7 ай бұрын

@@lauraallen55 Makes sense. I would generally just say "him" or "Chris," but I've seen him and the band so many times, I can also see me referring to "them" depending on the context. : -)

@lauraallen55

7 ай бұрын

I've never seen him/them but wish I had!@@MikeD_

Chris is exceedingly talented with an amazing voice. Thanks Fil, for sharing your views.

My favorite performer being analyzed by my favorite You Tuber! Woo hoo!!!

This is such a beautiful song; it's so soothing.

I remember having a discussion about guitar intonation with my teacher (in the contect of zigzag frets etc) and we kind of came to the conclusion that if that sound is what you are pursuing then it is great - but it can also take you away from the sound you want. So much of the music we love is the result of dodgy instruments, clumsy fingerings, fried amps etc in the hands of gifted (experienced, passionate) musicians. There is a place for "perfection" but it isnt the be-all, end-all - and never at the expense of the performance

Live is the way it was performed unedited. This is a gorgeous song and he has a gorgeous voice. It won’t be perfect live, but the fact it’s Live by such an artist will move you. Heavy editing and auto tuning extinguish beauty. Thanks for covering this point song after song.

I've seen Chris live a couple of time. Dude has a great voice.

One of my son, Christopher’s favorite. Phenomenal performances, ❤️💕 in my humble opinion. I love everything about this song, the singing, and musicality just the way it is.

@charlesbireland1780

7 ай бұрын

I loved this album and this was my favorite cut on it. I think it was used in the movie "Wild At Heart."

I have probably less than 1% of Fil's ability to hear this stuff, and the video title suggested that this was going to be an example of a genuinely very good performance. But even I (with my lack of ability) was thinking "there's something wrong with this singing" during the initial segment of the performance. Fil, I think you have infected me! 🙂

@lizgrosset1012

7 ай бұрын

I thought the exact same thing.

Fil, another home run of a video! Keep them coming, mate!!!!!!

Appreciate your efforts and quality content thanks Fil. You are a classy fella Bro. Cheers!🎉❤

Great to see you've still at it, Fil. It's really quite perfect. Surprisingly so. R

chills

Cool vibe to this song. Thanks for pointing out all the details about it's treatment in this particular live-ish performance. The "held note" smacked me in the ears!

It would be nice to hear the unadulterated version of this to know why they felt the need to tamper with it. I have only heard good things about Chris's voice from people that have heard him sing live.

@lauraallen55

7 ай бұрын

The original music video is here on YT and I believe it has not been changed from the original.

@rhetriver

7 ай бұрын

I've seen him live and he was spot on.

I love listening to Chris Isaak sing this song. The music is hauntingly alluring and his voice is perfect for it. Studio or live version, doesn't matter. His voice just puts it over the top. This is the song I'll sit and listen to with the lights off, the fireplace going, and a really nice glass of wine. Turn him up and enjoy it with your sweetie.

I have always admired Chris Isaak as a very talented artist, and was surprised he didn't achieve greater stardom. Back in 1996 I purchased his Baja Sessions album, and that is when realised what an incredible guitarist Hershel Yatovitz is. His playing on both electric and acoustic guitar is superb on every track, especially his slide technique. Good to see him in this video still playing beautifully.

@kilgoretrout3966

6 ай бұрын

Do you remember an early song from his intro album, “Silvertone,” called “Dancing?” It was really before he was known outside of Colleges, but it’s a hauntingly beautiful piece.

Saw in in 94 at The Greek in LA! He was awesome...

Thank you for this, and ALL your analyses, Fil. Great job. I learn a lot.

On the original song, that haunting guitar sound was the perfect complement to Chris' vocals. Wonderful for you to analyze this terrific song Fil.😊😊

Hi Fil, it appears the drummer was singing the last harmony, doesn’t it? That is an incredible song-timeless. That flipping in voice is not uncommon with country-style singing-very stylistic. Thanks for your vid’s.

@lauraallen55

7 ай бұрын

It's like a yodel

At the end it's the drummer who sings the "nobody" in harmony, you can see he has a mic and he's the only one singing into it.

Interesting choice of song--I haven't heard this in years. The correction in this version is so obvious, I agree! It sounds really off, which is disappointing because I love this song. Great example of how pitch correction changes an expressive voice!

Spot on as always, Fil. Love your analysis and videos. Thanks for covering Chris Isaak. He’s an excellent talent.

I love Chris.He has that breezy beach sound to his music with that touch of western cowboy,lol.

One of my favorite songs and singers. Great analysis, as usual.

I've been meaning to ask you to do to Chris Isaak for a while now. I hadn't listened to him for several years but I recently relistened to 1987 S/T and 1989 Heart Shaped World albums and was reminded how much I love Chris's vocals on those albums. Since those albums came out well before the era of Autotune it's nice to know that what you hear is mostly* what Chris sang. Truly one of the best. *because, well, there's always been a little bit of studio sweetening.

You are so knowledgeable and talented, the best review as always