It’s a scene familiar to sing-along enthusiasts around the world.
Every night, in karaoke bars spanning from Bangkok to Brooklyn, a pair of lovebirds will invariably hit the stage, grab their mics and begin bopping their heads in semi-awkward unison as a gentle burst of strings and guitars glides over the speakers. As the opening verse kicks in and the duo begins to sing, it becomes clear to everyone in the room that, for the next four minutes or so, we’ll all be “Islands in the Stream”:
Baby, when I met you, there was peace unknown
I set out to get you with a fine-tooth comb...
When Kenny Rogers died Friday at the age of 81, he left behind a remarkably expansive pop-culture legacy, which included chart-topping albums, hit TV Westerns and a beloved fast-food chicken chain. But one of Rogers’ less-discussed feats is the decades-long karaoke success of “Islands in the Stream,” his smash 1983 duet with Dolly Parton.
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