On a Slow Boat to China
Bette Midler Duet with Barry Manilow Lyrics

Hey, nice piano playin', Manilla
Bette compliments Barry Manilow's piano playing by saying 'Nice piano playin', Manilla.'

Thank you, Miss. M
Barry Manilow expresses his gratitude towards Bette Midler for her compliment by saying 'Thank you, Miss. M.'

Whatcha doin' these days?
Bette inquires about Barry's current activities by asking 'Whatcha doin' these days?'

Makin' records
Barry Manilow answers Bette's question by saying 'Makin' records.'

Really?
Bette shows interest in what Barry is doing by responding with 'Really?'

Yes, really
Barry confirms what he said earlier by saying 'Yes, really.'

Do you still play piano for people?
Bette asks Barry if he still plays the piano for others by saying 'Do you still play piano for people?'

Well, depends on who
Barry clarifies that he still plays the piano for others but only if it's for the right people, by saying 'Well, depends on who.'

I'm gonna get you on a slow boat to China
Bette expresses her desire to have Barry on a slow boat ride to China by saying 'I'm gonna get you on a slow boat to China.'

All to myself alone
Bette wants to have Barry all to herself during this slow boat ride, as expressed in the line, 'All to myself alone.'

Get you and keep you in my arms evermore
Bette goes on to say that she wants to be with Barry and keep him in her arms, never letting him go, as expressed in the line, 'Get you and keep you in my arms evermore.'

Leave all the others waitin' on a faraway shore
Bette wants to leave all others behind to go on this journey with Barry, and hence the line, 'Leave all the others waitin' on a faraway shore.'

Out on the briny where the moon's big and shiny
Bette paints a romantic picture of being on the boat with Barry where the moon is big and shiny, all over the sea, hence the line, 'Out on the briny where the moon's big and shiny.'

Melting your heart of stone
Bette is sure that this journey will melt Barry's heart, and thus the line, 'Melting your heart of stone.'

Bette, I didn't know you felt that way about me
Barry is surprised to hear Bette express her desire for him and hence the line, 'Bette, I didn't know you felt that way about me.'

I don't, I need a piano player
Bette uses humor to express that she doesn't want Barry for romantic reasons; instead, she wants him as a piano player, as expressed by the line, 'I don't, I need a piano player.'

Ahh, just like the old days
Barry appreciates the nostalgia that Bette is bringing up and reminisces by saying, 'Ahh, just like the old days.'

You're not gonna change keys on me, are ya?
Barry is a bit hesitant in agreeing to play for Bette, and hence he jokes around, asking her if she will make him switch keys, as expressed by the line, 'You're not gonna change keys on me, are ya?'

Unh, huh
Bette affirms that she won't make him change keys by saying, 'Unh, huh.'

Oh
Barry agrees to play for Bette, and hence the line, 'Oh.'

I'm gonna get you
Bette repeats her desire to have Barry on this boat trip by saying, 'I'm gonna get you.'

(You're never gonna get me)
Barry responds to Bette's line by saying that she will never be able to get him, as expressed by the line, '(You're never gonna get me).'

On a slow boat to China
Even though Barry rejects Bette's desire to have him on this boat journey, she still repeats herself with, 'On a slow boat to China.'

(Not in a fast or slow boat to any crick)
Barry is rejecting the idea of going on any boat ride, whether fast or slow, and hence the line, '(Not in a fast or slow boat to any crick).'

All to myself alone
Bette repeats her desire to have Barry all to herself on this slow boat ride again, with, 'All to myself alone.'

(I just get motion sick)
Barry again rejects the idea of going on any boat ride, by saying he gets motion sickness, and hence the line, '(I just get motion sick).'

I'm gonna make you mine
Bette continues to express her desire to have Barry, and thus the line, 'I'm gonna make you mine.'

(Ha, you'll have to stand in line)
Barry is still joking around, saying that Bette will have to get in line if she wants him, hence the line, '(Ha, you'll have to stand in line).'

Get you and keep you in my band evermore
Bette continues to express her desire to have Barry as a part of her music band, and hence the line, 'Get you and keep you in my band evermore.'

(Now there's a new attack)
Barry jokes around by saying that Bette has a new way to attack him, as expressed by the line, '(Now there's a new attack).'

Leave all the others on the shore
Bette repeats her desire to leave all others behind and go on a journey with Barry, and hence the line, 'Leave all the others on the shore.'

(For me they'd swim to China, to China and back)
Barry once again jokes around by saying that everyone else would go to any extent for Bette, and hence the line, '(For me they'd swim to China, to China and back).'

Out on the briny
Bette references the ocean again, by saying, 'Out on the briny.'

(I wouldn't like the ocean)
Barry jokes around by saying that he doesn't like the ocean, as expressed by the line, '(I wouldn't like the ocean).'

Where the moon's big and shiny
Bette repeats her earlier description of the moon being big and shiny, all over the seas, with, 'Where the moon's big and shiny.'

(Not even in a rowboat)
Barry again rejects the idea of being on any boat, be it big or small, as expressed by the line, '(Not even in a rowboat).'

Melting your heart of stone
Bette concludes the song, repeating her earlier desire to melt Barry's heart on this journey, with, 'Melting your heart of stone.'

Come on, what do you say?
Bette leaves the question of going on this journey open-ended with, 'Come on, what do you say?'

(Ha, ha, you always get your way)
Barry jokingly responds to Bette's question by saying that she always gets her way, hence the line, '(Ha, ha, you always get your way).'

I'm gonna get you on a slow boat to China
The song ends with the repetition of the original line, 'I'm gonna get you on a slow boat to China.'

All to myself alone, together
Bette emphasizes that even though they will be alone on the journey, they will be together, hence the line, 'All to myself alone, together.'