Islands In the Stream | Chords + Lyrics
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
| C | C |
You do something to me that I can’t explain.
| C | C | F |
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)
| G# | G# |
I can’t live without you if the love was gone.
| G# | G# | C# |
Everything is nothing if you got no one, and you did walk in the night.
| C# | G# | G#/F G# |
Slowly losing sight of the real thing.
Verse 4
| G# | G# |
But that won’t happen to us and we got no doubt.
| G# | G# | C# |
Too deep in love and we got no way out and the message is clear.
| C# | G# | G# |
This could be the year for the real thing.
Bridge 2
| C#maj7 | C#maj7 |
No more will you cry. Baby, I will hurt you never.
| C#m | C#m |
We start and end as one in love forever.
| G# | G# |
We can ride it together, ah ha.
| G# | G# |
Making love with each other, ah ha.
Chorus 2
| G# | C# |
Islands in the stream, that is what we are.
| A#m | A#m |
No one in between, how can we be wrong?
| G# | C# |
Sail away with me, to another world.
| G# | G# |
And we rely on each other, ah ha.
| A#m | G# |
From one lover to another, ah ha.
Instrumental 1
| C# | E | G# | G#/F G# |
Sail away.
| C# | E | G# | G# |
Oh, come sail away with me.
Chorus 3
| G# | C# |
Islands in the stream, that is what we are.
| A#m | A#m |
No one in between, how can we be wrong?
| G# | C# |
Sail away with me, to another world.
| G# | G# |
And we rely on each other, ah ha.
| A#m | G# | G# |
From one lover to another, ah ha.
Chorus 4
| G# | C# |
Islands in the stream, that is what we are.
| A#m | A#m |
No one in between, how can we be wrong?
| G# | C# |
Sail away with me, to another world.
| G# | G# |
And we rely on each other, ah ha.
| A#m | G# | G# |
From one lover to another, ah ha.
Outro
| G# | C# |
Islands in the stream, that is what we are.
| A#m | A#m | to fade
No one in between…
Islands In the Stream’s chords and progressions
Written by Bee Gees but performed by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, Islands In the Stream was a smash hit back in 1983, claiming the #1 spot in many countries, selling over 4 million copies.
Originally written in a Motown style, intended for Diana Ross, the boys of the Bee Gees had to rework it into a country duet when that plan came to a halt.
The chords are super simple, starting out with a C – F/A riff for the intro. The verse maintains this simple approach by using triads and sticking to the I and IV chords, like this:
| C | C | C | C |
| F | F | C | F/A C |
Before the bridge, we don’t play that F/A chord, we just stay on the C chord.
Speaking of the bridge, it starts with a Fmaj7, notice how this sounds incredibly adventurous as up until then, the chords have been so basic.
When this Fmaj7 is next turned into a IVm chord, it feels so sad and great at the same time, like this:
| Fmaj7 | Fmaj7 | Fm | Fm |
| C | C | C | C |
Finally, the chorus goes like this:
| C | F | Dm | Dm |
| C | F | C | C |
| Dm | C | C |
That’s an 11-bar chorus, very unusual. These were almost all chords for Islands In the Stream, after the first chorus, when Dolly takes over, we just modulate up a tritone, to G# and do it all again, like this:
Verse 3
| G# | G# | G# | G# |
| C# | C# | G# | G#/F G# |
Verse 4
| G# | G# | G# | G# |
| C# | C# | G# | G# |
Bridge 2
| C#maj7 | C#maj7 | C#m | C#m |
| G# | G# | G# | G# |
Chorus 2
| G# | C# | A#m | A#m |
| G# | C# | G# | G# |
| A#m | G# |
This takes us to the only new section for Islands In the Stream, an instrumental over 8 bars using these, slightly crazy chords:
| C# | E | G# | G#/F G# |
| C# | E | G# | G# |
That E chord is a bVIx, extremely unusual!
As we next play choruses until fade, there’s that extra bar at the end again, making it an 11-bar chorus, like this:
||: G# | C# | A#m | A#m |
| G# | C# | G# | G# |
| A#m | G# | G# :||
Islands In the Stream chords | Related pages
Intermediate Acoustic
Most intermediate acoustic tunes can’t be played using just basic open-position chords. We have to move up the fretboard and play CAGED barre chords as well.
We incorporate bass lines, add licks, extend chords, and play vocal melodies. Most importantly, we invent second guitar parts and play these songs together.
Five similar tunes
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Bee Gees
Starting out in 1955 as the Rattlesnakes, Bee Gees would go on to become the Disco Kings and write Barbra Streisand’s best-selling album.
Their best tunes include Massachusetts, How Deep Is Your Love, Stayin’ Alive, Night Fever, Tragedy, Words, Jive Talkin’, and You Should Be Dancing.
Bee Gees on the web
Dolly Parton
With 44 top-ten country albums and 110 chartered singles, Dolly Parton is the most famous country singer in the world.
Hits include I Will Always Love You, Jolene, 9 To 5, and almost 4 decades after her first release, Creepin’ In with Norah Jones.
Dolly Parton on the web
Kenny Rogers
Starting out already in the 50s, Kenny Rogers became one of the most beloved country storytellers, by mainly singing covers.
His best tunes include The Gambler, Islands In The Stream, Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In), and She Rides Wild Horses.
Kenny Rogers on the web
Country & Folk
In the primarily acoustic genres of Country & Folk, you must acquire what matters the most: A repertoire. Nothing else will give you the gig.
Learn tunes by Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, America, Don McLean, and many more.
