♫ Through The Years/Islands In The Stream ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, music, music history, Tributes

I last played this one back in March of 2020, the night I received breaking news of Kenny Rogers’ death.  For some reason, my mind keeps toggling back and forth between the one I played a few nights ago, We’re All Alone, and Kenny’s Through the Years.  Both are the kind of songs that bring about feelings one might rather keep buried, I think.  The mind, however, has a way of forcing thoughts and feelings to come out of hiding sometimes.  So, tonight you get a bonus, a “two-fer”, so to speak.

From my March 2020 post …

I had another song already scheduled for this morning.  I was finishing up responding to comments, was on the last one, in fact, and planning to head upstairs to bed at just after 3:00 a.m., when a ‘Breaking News’ banner flashed on my screen:  “Country Music Legend Kenny Rogers Dies at 81”.  Noooooooooooooooooooo.  cryingI am not a country music fan, but for the most part, I didn’t think of Kenny’s music as hardcore country.  I loved his voice, loved his music, and he wasn’t too hard on the eyes either. 😉 So, tonight I shed a tear and play one two of my favourite Kenny Roger’s songs, Through the Years and Islands in the Stream.

Released in 1981, this song was written by Steve Dorff and Marty Panzer.  The song was produced by Lionel Richie, and it was Richie who decided Through The Years was a good fit for Rogers.  According to co-writer Steve Dorff …

“Kenny was actually the third or fourth person that was approached with that song. Barry Manilow and Mac Davis passed on it. Glen Campbell passed on it. Those were the notable ones. Lionel Richie had heard the song and loved it and played it for his people and that’s how it happened. I got a phone call from Gene Page, that great arranger, who called me and said, ‘Congratulations! We just cut your song with Kenny Rogers, and it sounds amazing.'”

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Through the Years
Kenny Rogers

I can’t remember when you weren’t there
When I didn’t care for anyone but you
I swear we’ve been through everything there is
Can’t imagine anything we’ve missed
Can’t imagine anything the two of us can’t do

Through the years
You’ve never let me down
You turned my life around
The sweetest days I’ve found
I’ve found with you
Through the years
I’ve never been afraid
I’ve loved the life we’ve made
And I’m so glad I’ve stayed
Right here with you
Through the years

I can’t remember what I used to do
Who I trusted whom, I listened to before
I swear you’ve taught me everything I know
Can’t imagine needing someone so
But through the years it seems to me
I need you more and more

Through the years
Through all the good and bad
I knew how much we had
I’ve always been so glad
To be with you
Through the years
It’s better everyday
You’ve kissed my tears away
As long as it’s okay
I’ll stay with you
Through the years

Through the years
When everything went wrong
Together we were strong
I know that I belonged
Right here with you
Through the years
I never had a doubt
We’d always work things out
I’ve learned what love’s about
By loving you
Through the years

Through the years
You’ve never let me down
You’ve turned my life around
The sweetest days I’ve found
I’ve found with you
Through the years
It’s better everyday
You’ve kissed my tears away
As long as it’s okay
I’ll stay with you
Through the years

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Martin Panzer / Stephen Hartley Dorff
Through the Years lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Islands in the Stream
Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers

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
Every 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 ha
Making love with each other, ah ha

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

I can’t live without you if the love was gone
Everything is nothing if you got no one
And you did walk in the night
Slowly losing 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 message 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, ah ha
Making love with each other, ah ha

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

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

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

Islands in the stream
That is what we are
No one in between

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Maurice Ernest Gibb / Robin Hugh Gibb / Barry Alan Gibb
Islands in the Stream lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group

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54 thoughts on “♫ Through The Years/Islands In The Stream ♫”

  1. I have a strange relationship with Kenny Rogers. On one hand, I can recite the lyrics to ‘Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town’, and ‘Islands In The Stream’. But on the other hand, I never want to hear them again as long as I live, and wouldn’t be seen dead buying any of his records. 😀

    Best wishes, Pete.

    Liked by 2 people

  6. Pingback: ♫ Through The Years/Islands In The Stream ♫ | Filosofa’s Word | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  7. I knew Kenny was versatile, going from folk (The New Christie Minstrls) to rock to country to just plain old pop. I’m pretty sure I’ve played Reuben James for you before so I won’t play it today, but it is my favourite song of his. The above songs are good, but to me they are fantasy. I am basing this on my own experience, but people change, and the strongest of loves fades. I know other people find lasting relationships, but I was addicted to change, to growing as a person. Somehow that always got in the way.

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  9. Kenny Rogers (Texas born, and passed away right here in the suburbs of Marthasville/Terminus) fronted the California based group, The First Edition and their first big hit was the psychedelic pop song “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” which really rocked the house. But even then, they had a country twang as evident in the follow up, “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town.” Big, distinctive voice and I often wondered how his career woulda gone had he transitioned into rock instead of country. Oh well . . . .

    I just now discovered this artist thru the Jazz Radio app on my phone and thought I’d share:

    Liked by 3 people

  10. Jill, I love the partnership, but it is only a pretty good song to me. It is a good example of the work of the Brothers Gibb post-disco era as they suffered an unfair backlash with an anti-disco movement. Keith

    Liked by 2 people

    • Good point! I think for me the main attraction with the song is watching the obviously genuine camaraderie between Kenny & Dolly. They could probably be singing about peanut butter and I’d still enjoy watching them!

      Liked by 1 person

      • Agreed. We bought Dolly’s new collaborative CD called “Rock Star.” She teams with various performers to sing their songs. It is very good. My favorite is her singing with Elton John his song “Don’t let the sun go down on me.” She also does a nice duet with Paul McCartney of “Let it be.” Others like Melissa Etheridge, Pat Benatar, Stevie Nicks, Deborah Harry et al are on the CD.

        Keith

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