Islands in the Stream

"**Islands in the Stream**" is a song written by the Bee Gees whose title is named after the Ernest Hemingway novel and sung by American country music artists Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. It was released in August 1983 as the first single from Rogers' album Eyes That See in the Dark and the second pop number-one for both Rogers and Parton (after Rogers' "Lady" in 1980 and Parton's "9 to 5" in 1981).

It knocked Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" out of #1 on billboard's Hot 100, also topping the Country and Adult Contemporary listings. In December of that year it was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling over two million physical copies in the US. It has also sold 569,000 digital copies in the US. In Australia, the song was number one for one week in December 1983 and becoming one of the highest selling singles of 1984. In 2005, the song topped CMT's poll of the best country duets of all time; Parton and Rogers reunited to perform the song on the CMT special.

In April 2008, South Bend, Indiana radio station WZOW played the song continuously for several days on end. This was a stunt used to draw attention to the station's format change from alternative rock to adult contemporary.

Rogers and Parton went on to record a Christmas album together, and had an additional hit with their 1985 duet "Real Love". The Gibbs originally wrote the song for Marvin Gaye in an R&B style, only later to change it for the Kenny Rogers album. Greg Page sings this song on the album I Believe in Music.

## Lyrics

Baby when I met you there was peace unknown

I set out to get you with a fine tooth comb.

I was soft inside there was something going on

you do something to me that I can't explain

Hold me closer and i feel no pain ev'ry beat of my heart

We got something going on

Tender love is blind

It requires a dedication

All this love we feel needs no conversation

we ride it together

ah ah

making love to one another

ah ah

We ride it together uh huh

makin' love with each other uh huh

Islands in the stream

That is what we are

No one in be-tween how can we be wrong

Sail away with me to another world

And we re-ly on each other uh huh

From one lover to another uh huh

I can't live without you if the love is gone

Ev'rything is nothing if you got no one

And you did walk in the night

Slowly losin sight of the real thing

but that won't happen to us and we got no doubt

Too deep in love and we got no way out

And the messages is clear this could be the year

for the real thing

No more will you cry baby I will hurt you never

We start and end as one in love forever
we can ride it together uh huh
makin'love with each other uh huh

Islands in the stream

That is what we are

No one in be-tween how can we be wrong

Sail away with me to another world

And we re-ly on each other uh huh

From one lover to another uh huh

Instrumental - - - - -

Islands in the stream

That is what we are

No one in be-tween how can we be wrong

Sail away with me to another world

And we re-ly on each other uh huh

From one lover to another uh huh

Islands in the stream

That is what we are

No one in be-tween how can we be wrong

Sail away with me to another world

And we re-ly on each other uh huh

From one lover to another uh huh