Visit California was in town (well, Niagara on the Lake) recently, which, naturally leads to wine talk. And California wine makes me think of Chris Isaak. Why? Because a few years ago I was at the Robert Mondavi winery in the Napa Valley for dinner (spectacular, I might add), and was greeted by a roadside marquee: “Chris Isaak performing.”

Heaven! But, upon further investigation, the concert was the next weekend! Ah, Hell!

Turns out Isaak, who has drawn comparisons to Elvis and Roy Orbison for his “revivalist rockabilly style,” is from nearby Stockton, and was presumably playing a gig in his relative backyard.

Alas, by the time he was to appear, I was long gone, and the what-could-have-been remains: one of long-time favourite artists combined with a new-found favourite wine, in amazing vineyard setting.

Hopefully, this week’s video will show you why. It’s not his dreamy/steamy hit “Wicked Game,” rather another hit, “Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing,” from the 1995 album ‘Forever Blue.” It was a good, good thing.

Lyrics

Baby did a bad bad thing, baby did a bad bad thing
Baby did a bad bad thing, baby did a bad bad thing

You ever love someone so much you thought your little heart was gonna break in two?
I didn’t think so
You ever tried with all your heart and soul to get your lover back to you?
I wanna hope so

You ever pray with all your heart and soul just to watch her walk away?
Baby did a bad bad thing, baby did a bad bad thing
Baby did a bad bad thing, feel like crying, feel like crying

You ever toss and turn, you’re lying awake and thinking about the one you love?
I don’t think so
You ever close your eyes, making believe you’re holding the one you’re dreaming of?
Well, if you say so

It hurts so bad when you finally know just how low, low, low, low, low she’ll go
Baby did a bad bad thing, baby did a bad bad thing
Baby did a bad bad thing, I feel like crying, I feel like crying

Feel like crying, feel like crying
Feel like crying, feel like crying

Baby did a bad bad thing
Baby did a bad bad thing