Slow Boat To China chords by John Prine

Chords with lyrics

Tuning: Standard (E MajorE A augmentedA D MajorD G+G BB E MajorE)

Key: E MajorE

“Slow Boat To China”
by John Prine, Bobby Whitlock, and Linda Whitlock

Introduction:
E MajorE

Verse:
       E MajorE
Let's take a slow boat to China,
      E MajorE
leave from South Carolina
   E MajorE
Let's take our time and go the long way
   E MajorE
On a junk boat to Thailand
   E MajorE
with your hand in mine hand
    E MajorE
Well, I sure hope we got something to say
     A augmentedA
This old boat's got no sail
       A augmentedA             E MajorE
so won't you please hold our mail for awhile
    A augmentedA
Thanks anyway, pal, but the Suez Canal
     B7B7
Ain't our style

Verse:
       E MajorE
Let's take a slow boat to China
  E MajorE
and maybe we'll find a
  E MajorE
New way to play those same old games
  E MajorE
The stars just might show us
    E MajorE
and the captain will know us
E MajorE
Shake our hands and call us by our first names
   A augmentedA
We'll send a postcard to grandpa
   A augmentedA             E MajorE
of a vase or rickshaw, he don't care
     A augmentedA
We'll buy mom a kimono
  A augmentedA
or maybe we'll just phone her
      B7B7
When we're there

Instrumental:
E MajorE

Verse:
      A augmentedA
We'll drink sake at night
      A augmentedA             E MajorE
beneath the soft harbor lights on the bay
   A augmentedA
We'll build house on the hill
    A augmentedA             B7B7
next to Shangri-La Bill, and we'll stay

Outro:
        E MajorE
Let's take that slow boat to China
E MajorE
Slow boat to China
E MajorE
Slow boat to China
E MajorE
Slow boat to China
E MajorE
Let's go real slow