Chords + Lyrics | I’m Coming Out
Intro
||: Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 F/A | Bb Bb6 F/A | Bb Bb6 Am7 :||
I’m, coming, out. I’m coming. I’m, coming, out.
I’m coming, out. I’m coming, out. I’m, coming, out.
Chorus 1
||: Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 F/A | Bb Bb6 F/A | Bb Bb6 Am7 :||
I’m coming out, I want the world to know, got to let it show.
I’m coming out, I want the world to know, got to let it show.
Verse 1
| F Am7 | Gm7 Am7 |
There’s a new me coming out, and I just have to live.
| Gm7 Am7 | Gm7 Am7 |
And I want to give, I’m completely positive.
| F Am7 | Gm7 Am7 |
I think this time around, I am gonna do it.
| Gm7 Am7 | Gm7 Am7 |
Like you never knew it, oh, I’ll make it through.
Bridge 1
| Dm7 | Dm7 |
The time has come for me to break out of the shell.
| Dm7 | Bbmaj7 Am7 |
I have to shout, that I am coming out.
Chorus 2
I’m coming out, I want the world to know, I’ve got to let it show.
I’m coming out, I want the world to know, I’ve got to let it show.
I’m (coming out) coming. (I want the world to know) out.
(I’ve got to let it show) I’m coming.
I’m (coming out) coming. (I want the world to know) out (got to let it show).
Verse 2 (as chorus 1 but 4 bars longer)
I’ve got to show the world all that I want to be.
And all my abilities, there’s so much more to me.
Somehow I’ll have to make them, just understand.
I got it well in hand and oh, how I’ve planned.
I’m spreadin’ love, there is no need to fear
And I just feel so good, every time I hear.
Chorus 3
I’m coming out, I want the world to know, I’ve got to let it show.
I’m (coming out) coming. (I want the world to know) out.
(I’ve got to let it show) I’m coming.
I’m (coming out) coming. (I want the world to know) out (got to let it show).
I’m coming out, I want the world to know, I’ve got to let it show.
Solo
||: F Am7 | Gm7 Am7 | Gm7 Am7 | Gm7 Am7 :|| x2
| Dm7 | Dm7 | Dm7 | Bbmaj7 Am7 |
Breakdown (same as chorus)
||: Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 F/A | Bb Bb6 F/A | Bb Bb6 Am7 :|| x4
Chorus 4
(I’m coming out, I want the world to know, I’ve got to let it show) Got the world to know.
I’ve gotta let it show (I’m coming out, I want the world to know, I’ve got to let it show).
I’m (coming out) I’m coming. (I want the world to know) out (got to let it show) I want the world to know, gotta let it show.
I’m (coming out) I’m, I’m, I’m coming, out, (I want the world to know, I’ve got to let it show) watch out, I’m coming out.
Chorus 5
I’m coming out, I want the world to know, I’ve got to let it show.
I’m (coming out) coming, coming. (I want the world to know, got to let it show) I want the world to know, I gotta let it show.
I, I’m coming, out! I have to show, that I’m coming out.
I want the world to know that I’m in love with you, I’m coming, I’m coming, out.
I’m Coming Out Chords: Unpacking Nile Rodgers’ Genius in Chord Extensions
Behind the seemingly simple chords of I’m Coming Out lies Nile Rodgers’ genius in using extensions, chord shapes, and arrangement techniques. Let’s take a closer look.
Intro + Chorus
The intro chords are:
||: Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 F/A | Bb Bb6 F/A | Bb Bb6 Am7 :||
We’re in the key of D minor, making these chords VI – III – II – I/3, followed by IV – I/3 – III.
The trick is that II and IV are essentially the same chord, just with a different bass note.
When the chorus comes in, we play all this again. The chaotic feel of the intro mainly comes from the drums and sporadic vocals. By the time we reach the chorus, all that tension from the intro suddenly makes sense. This is crucial, as we want the chorus to feel like a release.
Verse
Here are the verse chords for I’m Coming Out:
||: F Am7 | Gm7 Am7 |
| Gm7 Am7 | Gm7 Am7 :||
Again, this feels familiar because Dm7 and F are essentially the same chord with a different bass note. The same trick applies to Gm and Bb, but here in the verse, we only go to Gm. This makes the chorus feel like a release when it introduces its major chord variation.
Bridge
The bridge is almost entirely built around VI, like this:
| Dm7 | Dm7 | Dm7 | Bbmaj7 Am7 |
Again, there’s familiarity in the movement from Bb to Am7—this is IV – III, the only place where a minor chord sits just a semitone below a major chord.
The solo follows the same progression as verse 1 and the bridge, while the breakdown mirrors the chorus chords but carries the feel of the intro.
The chord progressions in I’m Coming Out feature small variations throughout, keeping the arrangement engaging while maintaining a sense of familiarity. The progressions repeat but with subtle tweaks—verse 2, for example, is longer than verse 1.
The biggest changes come in the vocal arrangement because Nile Rodgers wants the focus to be on Diana Ross—after all, she’s the one coming out!
Here’s a chord chart.
I’m Coming Out Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
You can download my chart as a PDF or iReal Pro file below. Using the iReal Pro app, you can change the key if you like, which works fine since these are all barre chords—although I’ve never had to do it myself!
I’m Coming Out TAB | Course Preview
Nile’s guitar is all over the place—it doesn’t repeat and is more about being funky. The horns and backing vocals provide the structure.
When you play this tune in a band, you won’t have all that help, so it’s a good idea to blend the structure of the backing vocals into your guitar part.
This is what we focus on in the course. Here’s a preview of the first half of the intro/chorus:
Can you hear how the melody of the vocal has been incorporated here?
I’m Coming Out Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: I’m Coming Out (Diana Ross) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
