Chords + Lyrics | Islands In the Stream
Intro
||: C | F/A C :||
Verse 1
| C | C |
Baby, when I met you there was peace unknown.
| C | C | F |
I set out to get you with a fine tooth comb, I was soft inside.
| F | C | F/A C |
There was something going on.
Verse 2
You do something to me that I can’t explain.
Hold me closer and I feel no pain, every beat of my heart.
| F | C | C |
We got something going on.
Bridge 1
| Fmaj7 | Fmaj7 |
Tender love is blind, it requires a dedication.
| Fm | Fm |
All this love we feel needs no conversation.
| C | C |
We ride it together, ah ha.
| C | C |
Making love with each other, ah ha.
Chorus 1
| C | F |
Islands in the stream, that is what we are.
| Dm | Dm |
No one in between, how can we be wrong?
| C | F |
Sail away with me to another world.
| C | C |
And we rely on each other, ah ha.
| Dm | C | C |
From one lover to another, ah ha.
Verse 3 (key change)
| Ab | Ab |
I can’t live without you if the love was gone.
| Ab | Ab | Db |
Everything is nothing if you got no one, and you did walk in the night.
| Db | Ab | Db/F Ab |
Slowly losing sight of the real thing.
Verse 4
But that won’t happen to us and we got no doubt.
Too deep in love and we got no way out and the message is clear.
| Db | Ab | Ab |
This could be the year for the real thing.
Bridge 2
| Dbmaj7 | Dbmaj7 |
No more will you cry. Baby, I will hurt you never.
| Dbm | Dbm |
We start and end as one in love forever.
| Ab | Ab |
We can ride it together, ah ha.
| Ab | Ab |
Making love with each other, ah ha.
Chorus 2
| Ab | Db |
Islands in the stream, that is what we are.
| Bbm | Bbm |
No one in between, how can we be wrong?
| Ab | Db |
Sail away with me, to another world.
| Ab | Ab |
And we rely on each other, ah ha.
| Bbm | Ab |
From one lover to another, ah ha.
Solo
| Db | E | Ab | Db/F Ab |
Sail away.
| Db | E | Ab | Ab |
Oh, come sail away with me.
Chorus 3
Islands in the stream, that is what we are.
No one in between, how can we be wrong?
Sail away with me, to another world.
And we rely on each other, ah ha.
From one lover to another, ah ha.
Chorus 4
Islands in the stream, that is what we are.
No one in between, how can we be wrong?
Sail away with me, to another world.
And we rely on each other, ah ha.
From one lover to another, ah ha.
Outro
| Ab | Ab |
Islands in the stream, that is what we are.
| Bbm | Bbm | (to fade)
No one in between…
Islands In the Stream Backing Track | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning Islands In the Stream. I’ve used stem separation to extract the guitar while keeping the drums, bass, keys, horns, and vocals intact.
After studying the chords and TAB, use my backing tracks to prepare for playing this tune with a band.
Should you want to also play along with the original recording, you must tune your guitar to 444Hz, use my online tuner for this. For the backing track above, I’ve done this work as I’ve detuned the song to work with a guitar tuned to 440Hz.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
The chords are extremely simple, only the key change later on can throw a potential spanner in the works! We start with a C – F/A riff for the intro.
Verse
The verse is focusing on triads and sticks to the I and IV chords:
| C (I) | C | C | C |
| F (IV) | F | C | F/A (IV/3) C |
Before the bridge, we leave out the F/A chord and stay on the C chord.
Bridge
The bridge introduces an Fmaj7 chord, which sounds particularly adventurous given the basic structure up until this point. When this Fmaj7 shifts to a IVm chord, it creates a bittersweet, emotional effect.
Here’s the full progression:
| Fmaj7 (IV) | Fmaj7 | Fm (IVm) | Fm |
| C (I) | C | C | C |
Chorus
Lastly, the chorus brings in the II chord, creating a distinct harmonic shift:
| C (I) | F (IV) | Dm (II) | Dm |
| C | F | C | C |
| Dm | C | C |
This 11-bar chorus is quite unusual—Folsom Prison Blues is the only other song I can think of that uses this amount of bars.
Modulation
After the first chorus of Islands In the Stream, when Dolly takes over, we modulate up a tritone to the key of Ab (or G#) and repeat the same progressions, now in the new key, the chords become:
Verse
| Ab | Ab | Ab | Ab |
| Db | Db | Ab |1. Db/F Ab :||2. Ab |
Bridge
| Dbmaj7 | Dbmaj7 | Dbm | Dbm |
| Ab | Ab | Ab | Ab |
Chorus (shorter)
| Ab | Db | Bbm | Bbm |
| Ab | Db | Ab | Ab |
| Bbm | Ab |
Solo
Next comes the solo section, which lasts for 8 bars and features slightly unconventional chords:
| Db | E | Ab | Db/F Ab |
| Db | E | Ab | Ab |
The E chord here can be seen as a bVIx, a modal interchange that hints at a Db Lydian scale shifting to Dbm (Aeolian).
Chorus (new key)
Finally, we return to the chorus, with that familiar extra bar, making it an 11-bar chorus again:
||: Ab | Db | Bbm | Bbm |
| Ab | Db | Ab | Ab |
| Bbm | Ab | Ab :||
Islands In the Stream is a great example of what it takes to be a professional guitarist—resisting the urge to overplay!
I’ve designed TAB to help you navigate all sections, including the key change and incorporating that horn riff in the instrumental section. Scroll down this guitar lesson to find it.
Once you’ve worked through the TAB and embraced the simplicity of the arrangement, this chord chart is all you need to play the tune live.
Islands In The Stream Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Islands In The Stream chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Islands In The Stream iReal Pro.
Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key and alter Islands In The Streams‘ arrangement layout, should you not be happy with how I’ve displayed the chords.
Islands In The Stream | TAB
This is a test to see if being a professional guitar player is for you.
Many guitarists are eager to prove themselves, often overplaying—being too loud and focusing on solos, or simply “playing the chords” without thought.
A professional guitarist, however, focus on fitting in with the band and playing each song with the goal of doing what is best for the song, not the instagram clip. The goal isn’t to stand out, rather to make the entire band sound great.
Islands In The Stream is a perfect opportunity to test this approach. Here’s the intro:
I’ve included the guitar stab on the 3+, but also a big chord to fatten up the first chord, helping the keyboards without overpowering them.
The F/A is crucial—don’t skip it! It’s your responsibility to join in here.
Here’s the verse.
The rhythm on beat 2 locks in with the snare, while the 3+ is the guitar stab. The F/A riff only appears in the first verse, before the bridge. Getting these details right is key.
Notice how the rhythm is consistent, using just 2 or 3 strings. This lets you sit comfortably in the mix, creating a relaxed vibe for both the listener and your bandmates who will no doubt exclaim: ”Oh my god, a guitar player who knows how to behave!”
Here’s the bridge, now we go off-piste.
I’ve made up the first four bars. To lift the bridge, I change the rhythm, but once established, it remains consistent. When the C chord returns, it mirrors the verse, just with an extra stab.
The new rhythm continues into the chorus.
After this, we shift to a new key for the second verse—up a tritone. This change accommodates Dolly’s vocal range. (The original demo didn’t have the key change—check the playlist at teh top of the lesson).
Key change
I’ve kept the rhythm from the original verse, feeling the key change alone adds enough excitement.
When you feel comfortable, start experimenting with different chord shapes, but still maintaining the rhythm.
Here’s the bridge in the new key, I’ve stuck to the same concept as before, just in a new key. The challenge is to stick to the basics!
Once you’re comfortable, experiment with different chord shapes, but stick to the rhythm.
Here, I’ve followed the same approach as before, just transposed to the new key. The challenge is sticking to the basics!
Finally, here’s the chorus and instrumental section.
Maintaining discipline throughout and matching the horn line shows you’re a team player who’s done their homework. This is what people want—not loud, flashy solos followed by invisible rhythm parts.
The key questions are:
- Can you play along with the original recording, making no mistakes and staying on track?
- Do you enjoy it?
If you answer “yes” to both, you’ve got a great shot at becoming a professional guitarist. The trick is understanding what the song and the band need, not focusing on showing off.
A Motown Song Turned Country Duet
Islands In the Stream, written by the Bee Gees but performed by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, was a smash hit in 1983, claiming the #1 spot in many countries and selling over 4 million copies.
Originally written in a Motown style and intended for Diana Ross, the Bee Gees had to rework the song into a country duet when that plan fell through.
A very unusual version was recorded by the Bee Gees themselves in 2001, released on Their Greatest Hits: The Album. Before that, in 1997, the Bee Gees performed a reunion gig in Las Vegas called One Night Only. This version was far from the original, more straightforward and reminiscent of The Police’s Every Breath You Take.
There are also numerous cover versions, such as one by The Shires. I’ve included them all in the playlist at the top of this page.
After listening to these renditions, you’ll likely agree with me that you can’t beat the iconic version by Kenny and Dolly!
Islands In the Stream Chords: Continue Learning
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