Let's take a slow boat to China
Leave from South Carolina
Let's take our time and go the long way
On a junk boat to Thailand
With your hand in my hand
I sure hope we got something to say

This old boat's got no sail
So won't you please hold the mail for awhile?
Thanks anyway, pal
But the Suez Canal ain't our style

Let's take a slow boat to China
And maybe we'll find a
New way to play those same old games
The stars just might show us
And the captain will know us
Shake our hands and call us by our first names

Send a postcard to Grandpa
Of a vase or rickshaw, he don't care
We'll buy Mom a kimono
Or maybe we'll just phone her when we're there

We'll drink sake at night
Beneath the soft harbor lights on the bay
We'll build a house on a hill
Next to Shangri-La Bill and we'll stay
Let's take that slow boat to China (let's go)
Slow boat to China (real slow)
Slow boat to China (let's go)
Slow boat to China (real slow)
Let's go real slow
Let's go real slow
Let's go real slow
Slow boat to China
Slow boat to China
Slow boat to China