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Written and first recorded by Karla Bonoff (1988).
Hit version by Wynonna Judd (US #77/C&W #3/CAN #3 1993).
From the wiki: “Early in her career, Karla Bonoff sang background vocals for Linda Ronstadt and Wendy Waldman before releasing her own debut album in 1977, titled Karla Bonoff. In 1982, Bonoff reached the Top 40 with her song ‘Personally’.
First recorded (as a demo) by The Bee Gees (1983).
Hit version by Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers (US #1/C&W #1/UK #7/CAN #1/AUS #1/NZ #2/SWE #3 1983).
“Islands in the Stream” is a timeless song penned by the Bee Gees, taking its name from the classic Ernest Hemingway novel. Originally conceived in an R&B style for Diana Ross (or Marvin Gaye, depending upon which Gibb brother tells you the story), the Gibbs later adapted it for inclusion in Kenny Rogers’ album, Eyes That See in the Dark.
In a candid revelation on Good Morning America, Kenny Rogers shared his initial aversion to ‘Islands in the Stream’. Despite his reservations, the transformative moment came when producer and co-writer Barry Gibb recognized the missing piece. After days of experimentation in the studio, Gibb declared, ‘We need Dolly Parton to make this thing pop.’ Serendipitously, Ken Kragen, Kenny’s manager, encountered Dolly at a grocery store, swiftly bringing her into the project.
The magic unfolded after Dolly joined the session. Kenny Rogers, who had previously harbored doubts, experienced a change of heart, declaring, “Now, I like the song.” The collaboration between Rogers and Parton not only elevated “Islands in the Stream” to legendary status but also stands as a testament to the unpredictable and serendipitous nature of musical alchemy.
“Islands in the Stream” knocked Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” out of the #1 slot on the Billboard 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.
The song was equally an international success, topping the Australian music chart one for one week in December 1983, and peaking at #7 on the UK Singles Chart.
Robin Gibb, interviewed re: “Islands in the Stream”:
Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton, “Islands in the Stream” (1983):
First recorded by Dave Edmunds (UK #11 1979).
Also recorded by Rodney Crowell (1980).
Other hit version by Juice Newton (US #2/C&W #14/CAN #8/AUS #8/NZ #7/DEN #6/SA #2 1981).
‘Queen of Hearts’ is the country-pop ballad crafted by Hank DeVito, the renowned pedal steel guitarist within Emmylou Harris’ backing ensemble, The Hot Band. This song made its initial appearance through Dave Edmunds, who featured it on his 1979 album Repeat When Necessary. When released as a single, it quickly ascended to #11 on the UK charts in that same year.
In 1980, ‘Queen of Hearts’ then found a notable home on Rodney Crowell’s album, But What Will the Neighbors Think. This version was particularly significant as the composer himself, DeVito, contributed his guitar skills to the recording. However, the song reached its zenith of recognition when the talented country-rock songstress Juice Newton included it on her 1981 album Juice.
Newton reminisced about the song’s journey, saying, ‘I performed [‘Queen of Hearts’] live for about a year…Then I presented it to [producer] Richard Landis when we began working on the Juice album. At that point, he wasn’t entirely convinced it would become a breakout hit, but I told him I thought it was an incredibly cool song… so we decided to record it.’
Juice Newton’s rendition of the track catapulted her to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and to international stardom, achieving Top-10 status in countries like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and Switzerland. It also garnered respectable success in Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands. Newton’s earnest interpretation of ‘Queen of Hearts’ earned her a Grammy nomination in 1982 in the ‘Best Female Vocalist, Country and Western’ category, solidifying her place in the country music spotlight.
Rodney Crowell, “Queen of Hearts” (1980):
Juice Newton, “Queen of Hearts” (1981):