I’m Coming Out | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
| Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 Gm69 | F/A Bb Bb6 | F/A Bb Bb6 Am7 |
I’m, coming, out. I’m coming.
| Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 | F/A Bb Bb6 | F/A Bb Bb6 Am7 |
I’m, coming, out.
| Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 Gm69 | F/A Bb Bb6 | F/A Bb Bb6 Am7 |
I’m coming out.
| Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 | F/A Bb Bb6 | F/A Bb Bb6 Am7 |
| Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 Gm69 | F/A Bb Bb6 | F/A Bb Bb6 Am7 |
I’m coming, out.
| Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 | F/A Bb Bb6 | F/A Bb Bb6 Am7 |
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
||: Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 | F/A Bb Bb6 | F/A Bb Bb6 Am7 :||
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
| F Am7 | Gm7 Am7 |
I’ve got to show the world all that I want to be.
| Gm7 Am7 | Gm7 Am7 |
And all my abilities, there’s so much more to me.
| F Am7 | Gm7 Am7 |
Somehow I’ll have to make them, just understand.
| Gm7 Am7 | Gm7 Am7 |
I got it well in hand and oh, how I’ve planned.
| F Am7 | Gm7 Am7 |
I’m spreadin’ love, there is no need to fear
| Gm7 Am7 | Gm7 Am7 |
And I just feel so good, every time I hear.
Chorus 3
||: Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 | F/A Bb Bb6 | F/A Bb Bb6 Am7 :||
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
||: Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 | F/A Bb Bb6 | F/A Bb Bb6 Am7 :|| x4
Chorus 4
||: Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 | F/A Bb Bb6 | F/A Bb Bb6 Am7 :||
(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
||: Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 | F/A Bb Bb6 | F/A Bb Bb6 Am7 :||
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: Learn the progressions
Behind the seemingly simple chords of I’m Coming Out lies Nile Rodgers‘s genius extensions and arrangement techniques. Let’s look at them in more detail, the intro chords are:
||: Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 Gm69 | F/A Bb Bb6 | F/A Bb Bb6 Am7 |
| Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 | F/A Bb Bb6 | F/A Bb Bb6 Am7 :|| x3
We are in the key of Dm here, making these chords VI – III – II, followed by I – IV – III.
It’s the extensions that make this sound a lot more complicated. The main trick is in how II and IV are essentially the same chords, just with a different bass note.
Also that Gm69 is an awesome variation that happens every other time during the intro.
When the chorus comes in we play all this again, although now with no Gm69, essentially repeating the second line of what you saw above, like this:
||: Dm7 Am7 | Gm7 | F/A Bb Bb6 | F/A Bb Bb6 Am7 :||
This is a very clever arrangement technique. It’s the same thing, just a little bit simpler. The chaotic feel of the intro was mainly down to the drums and the sporadic vocals.
Once we’re in the chorus it feels as if all that crazy intro stuff actually made sense. This is essential since we want the chorus to feel like a release.
Here are the verse chords for I’m Coming Out:
||: F Am7 | Gm7 Am7 | Gm7 Am7 | Gm7 Am7 :||
Again, this is familiar since Dm7 and F are the same chords, just with a different bass note. Gm and Bb use the same trick so here in the verse, we only go to Gm, making the chorus have a release with its major chord variation.
The bridge is almost only chord VI, like this:
| Dm7 | Dm7 | Dm7 | Bbmaj7 Am7 |
Again, there’s familiarity as we go from Bb – Am7, these must be chords IV – III as only here do we get a minor chord with a major a semitone above.
The solo is like verse 1 and the bridge, the breakdown is the chorus chords but with the feel of the intro.
Overall, I’m Coming Out’s chords have small variations throughout, the progressions are similar, with constant small tweaks to keep the interest up.
The arrangement does repeat itself although with small variations, for example, verse 2 is longer than verse 1.
The big changes are in the vocal because Nile wants you to focus on Diana, after all, she’s the one coming out!
I’m Coming Out Chords | Related Pages
Five similar tunes with chords and lyrics
- Celebration chords by Kool and the Gang
- Le Freak chords by Chic
- Treasure chords by Bruno Mars
- Upside Down chords by Diana Ross
- Uptown Funk chords by Bruno Mars
Diana Ross tunes
After her success with The Supremes in the 60s, Diana Ross launched a solo career that kept her in the public consciousness for the next two decades.
Her best-known tunes include I’m Coming Out, Upside Down, Endless Love, and Chain Reaction.
Diana on the web
Dance, Disco & Funk
About me | Dan Lundholm
This was a guitar lesson about I’m Coming Out chords, by Dan Lundholm. Discover more about him and learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not practising scales, and studying theory in isolation.
