Baja Sessions

Baja Sessions is the sixth studio album by Chris Isaak, released in 1996, featuring largely acoustic arrangements. The album contains a large number of covers, many of which are classic songs (such as the Hawaiian-tinged "Sweet Leilani" and "South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)") which refer to, or are styled to suggest, tropical, laid-back settings. Though its title refers to Baja California, the album was recorded at San Francisco's Coast Recorders.

Baja Sessions
Studio album by Chris Isaak
Released	October 8, 1996
Recorded	1995-1996
Genre	Rockabilly, Roots rock, Rock'n'roll, Surf rock
Length	39:02
Label	Reprise
Producer	Erik Jacobsen
Chris Isaak chronology
Forever Blue (1995) Baja Sessions (1996) Speak of the Devil (1998)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Chicago Tribune	[2]
Christgau's Consumer Guide	[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[4]
Entertainment Weekly	D[5]
Orlando Sentinel	[6]
Pitchfork	8.2/10[7]

A 58-minute documentary was released featuring Isaak performing the songs as well as making amusing asides, surfing and generally mucking around.

Track listing

All tracks composed by Chris Isaak, except where indicated

1. "Pretty Girls Don't Cry" – 3:09 from Silvertone, 1985
2. "Back on Your Side" – 3:03 from Silvertone, 1985
3. "Only the Lonely" (Roy Orbison, Joe Melson) – 2:53
4. "South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)" (Jimmy Kennedy, Michael Carr) - 3:10
5. "I Wonder" – 2:55
6. "Wrong to Love You" – 3:55 from Heart Shaped World, 1989
7. "Waiting for My Lucky Day" – 2:38
8. "Yellow Bird" (Norman Luboff, Alan Bergman) - 2:29
9. "Two Hearts" – 3:19 from San Francisco Days, 1993
10. "Return to Me" (Carmen Lombardo, Danny DiMinno) - 2:17
11. "Dancin'" – 3:57 from Silvertone, 1985
12. "Sweet Leilani" (Harry Owens) – 2:16
13. "Think of Tomorrow" – 2:57

Personnel

• Chris Isaak - vocals, guitar
• Hershel Yatovitz - lead guitar
• Rowland Salley - bass, vocals
• Kenney Dale Johnson - drums

Sales and certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[8]	Gold	556,000[9]

References

1. Raggett, Ned. "Baja Sessions Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
2. Kot, Greg (1996-11-01). "Chris Issak The Baja Sessions (Reprise)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2018-07-29.
3. Christgau, Robert (2000-10-15). "Chris Isaak". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. Macmillan Publishing. ISBN 9780312245603.
4. Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958.
5. Mirkin, Steven (1996-10-18). "Baja Sessions". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
6. Gettelman, Parry (1996-10-25). "Chris Isaak". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2018-07-29.
7. Schreiber, Ryan. "Chris Isaak: The Baja Sessions". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2001-08-29.
8. "American album certifications – Chris Isaak – Baja sessions". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
9. "Answers to readers' questions about Chris Isaak, Britney Spears and Janet Jackson". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 29, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2021.