I would argue that Wicked Game by Chris Isaak is one of the best songs of all time. Few songs have the same effect on me now as they did the first time I heard them and Wicked Game is one of them. I'm not alone in my views. Alaister Moughan from Dazed wrote, "Some songs are masterpieces, some represent moments in time, and others are simply good jams. Chris Isaak's 'Wicked Game' is all three." Taken from his third studio album, Heart Shaped World, the song only became a hit when it was featured in the 1990 film, Wild At Heart, starring Nicholas Cage and Laura Dern. While it enjoyed great success on charts around the world, it only reached number 1 in Belgium, peaking at number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 on the UK singles chart.
The song's melancholic vocals, guitar bassline and laid-back vibe have made it a timeless favourite. It has also been covered several times with varying degrees of success. Here are my seven favourite versions of the song:
Giant Drag
Recorded: 2006
Giant Drag, an American indie band from California, covered the song at their shows in 2006. The following year their version was used to promote the next season of the FX show Nip/Tuck.
Milk Inc.
Recorded: 2013
I love a good remix and the Belgian dance group Milk Inc. do not disappoint with their dance version of the classic. It appeared on their 2013 album, Undercover, which, as the title suggests, featured their take on hits by other artists, including Bette Davis Eyes, Sweet Child O'Mine and I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight.
Parra for Cuva
Recorded: 2013
German producer and DJ Parra for Cuva recorded a version featuring German singer Anna Naklab but re-titled as Wicked Games (plural). The song plays in episode 10 of the second season of Umbrella Academy as we hear Allison's letter that closes out the season.
London Grammar
Recorded: 2014
British indie band London Grammar recorded a version that appears on the compilation album BBC Radio 2: Sounds of the 80s along with covers of other iconic 80s hits by contemporary artists. Highly recommended.
P!nk
Performed: 2013 - 2014
P!nk performed the song on stage during her Truth About Love Tour, her sixth tour to promote her album with the same name, which saw her play 140 shows in Australia, Europe and North America.
Lana Del Rey & Chris Isaak
Performed: 2019
At a live show at the Hollywood Bowl in LA, Lana Del Rey brought out Chris Isaak himself to perform the song with her on stage. By way of an introduction, she said: “I don’t know if I can sing this song as beautifully as he can...We can’t be in the middle of Hollywood and not hear the sexiest song of all time.”
Wicked Game (Live) - Lana Del Rey & Chris Isaak
Céline Dion
Recorded: 2020
Céline recorded the song at Electric Lady Studios in early 2020 as part of Spotify's Singles release in which artists share a new version of one of their songs along with a cover of a song by another artist. Chris Isaak's response to the Céline recording: “At last! When I heard Céline singing there was a big smile on my face. It’s just fun to hear her sing…somebody said about Fred Astaire‘s dancing ‘he makes it look so easy’… Céline makes it sound so effortless.”
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