Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, rockabilly revivalist Chris Isaak offers sagely dating advice in his 2002 release, “Notice the Ring.”
Isaak’s character is having a great time getting to know a woman he just met at a club. The chemistry is right and this could be the beginning of something special, but Isaak notices what seems to be a diamond ring on the woman’s finger. Is it an engagement ring? A piece of faux jewelry? Or just a sentimental bauble that was handed down from her grandma?
He sings, “I notice the ring, does it mean anything / You don’t gotta fool me if you say it’s only jewelry / I believe you when you slip off the ring, oh baby / It’s got complicated if it’s more than just gold plated / Are you single, does it mean anything?”
While introducing this song at his concerts, Isaak often offers light-hearted advice to the men in the audience.
“When you meet a woman for the first time, it’s important to focus on her hands. Not the whole body, but the hands,” Isaak joked. “Look at the hands and they will tell you so much about a person. Particularly, notice the ring.”
Penned by Isaak, “Notice the Ring” appeared as the eighth track of the artist’s eighth studio album, Always Got Tonight.
The singer-songwriter, musician, actor and former talk show host is best known for his song, “Wicked Game,” which was featured in the 1990 David Lynch-directed film, Wild at Heart. That was just one of many collaborations between the director and the artist.
The son of a forklift operator dad and a potato chip factory worker mom, Isaak was born in Stockton, CA, in 1956. Isaak was the 1974 class valedictorian at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School and earned a bachelor's degree in English and communications at University of the Pacific. Isaak started his first band in 1984 and was signed by Warner Bros. one year later.
Fun Trivia: As an amateur boxer, Isaak had his nose broken seven times, according to Discussions Magazine. At the time, his good looks and combed-back hair earned him the nickname, Elvis.
We hope you enjoy the audio track of Isaak performing “Notice the Ring.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
“Notice the Ring”
Written and performed by Chris Isaak.
Long legged
Good looking
You got everything
Slow walking
You come up
Then I notice the ring
I notice the ring
I notice the ring
You’re talking, I’m listening,
But I don’t hear a thing
Is it something he bought you
Or only a ring, oh baby
I notice the ring
Does it mean anything?
You don’t gotta fool me if you say it’s only jewelry
I believe you when you slip off the ring, oh baby
It’s got complicated if it’s more than just gold plated
Are you single, does it mean anything?
I notice the ring
We gotta slow down
She’s laughing, stop worrying
Get in the swing
Heart pounding, I’m wondering
Just what did she mean
I notice the ring
I notice the ring
Say nobody’s waiting
That’s it’s nothing just gold plating
That it really doesn’t mean anything
Say your grandma left it to you
Just all you need to do is tell me that it’s no wedding ring,
Nice diamond
I notice the ring
We gotta slow down
I notice the ring
I notice the ring
I notice the ring
I notice the ring
I notice the ring
I notice the ring
I notice the ring
