This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs
Movie: Wild At Heart
In 1989, a lot of girls wanted Chris Isaak. And a lot of boys wanted to be like Chris Isaak – to be able to seduce a girl the way he was able to through a song. Things is, before “Wicked Game”, a lot of boys and girls never even knew who Chris Isaak was. Most of his never heard his music – and many of us didn’t even recognize his name. But then, just like that, he was almost larger than life. A lot of it has to do with the movie Wild At Heart – and the fact that “Wicked Game” is just a really, really good song.
“Wicked Game” delivered a single punch in the gut to all the other love songs. In under five minutes, Isaak raised the standards for ballads and seduced half of the song’s listeners in the process. Pushing his rockabilly agenda into the mainstream radio consciousness, the track grips you with these lingering, hanging sliding guitar notes. “Wicked Game” also benefits from one of the greatest male vocal performances ever – bearing striking resemblances to Elvis and Roy Orbison. Quietly delicate, yet strangely powerful.
“What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you.”