Album: Bette Midler Sings The Rosemary Clooney Songbook (2003)

On A Slow Boat To China

(feat. Barry Manilow)

[Bette:] "Hey, nice piano playin', Manilla."
[Barry:] "Thank you, Miss M."
[Bette:] "Whatcha doin' these days?"
[Barry:] "Makin' records."
[Bette:] "Really?"
[Barry:] "Yes, really."
[Bette:] "Do you still play piano for people?"
[Barry:] "Well, depends on who."

[Bette:] Hmmm, I'm gonna get you
on a slow boat to China,
all to myself alone;
Get you and keep you in my arms evermore;
Leave all the others
waitin' on a faraway shore.

[Bette & Barry:] Out on the briny
where the moon's big and shiny,
melting your heart of stone.
I'm gonna get you
on a slow boat to China,
all to myself alone.

[Barry:] "Bette, I didn't know you felt that way about me."
[Bette:] "I don't. I need a piano player."
[Barry:] "Ahh, just like the old days!"
[Bette:] "You're not gonna change keys on me, are ya?"
[Barry:] "Unh Huh."
[Bette:] "Ohhh!"

[Bette:] I'm gonna get you
[Barry:] You're never gonna get me.
[Bette:] on a slow boat to China
[Barry:] Not in a fast or slow boat to any crick.
[Bette:] all to myself alone;
[Barry:] I just get motion sick
[Bette:] I'm gonna make you mine.
[Barry:] Ha, you'll have to stand in line.
[Bette:] Get you and keep you in my band evermore;
[Barry:] Now there's a new attack.
[Bette:] Leave all the others on the shore.
[Barry:] For me they'd swim to China, to China and back.

[Bette:] Out on the briny
[Barry:] I wouldn't like the ocean,
[Bette:] where the moon's big and shiny,
[Barry:] not even in a rowboat.
[Bette:] melting your heart of stone.
Come on, what do you say?
[Barry:] Ha ha, you always get your way.
[Bette & Barry:] I'm gonna get you
on a slow boat to China,
all to myself alone, to-ge-ther.
All to myself alone.