419:"I'd like to get you on a slow boat to China" was a well-known phrase among poker players, referring to a person who lost steadily and handsomely. My father turned it into a romantic song, placing the title in the mainstream of catch-phrases in 1947.
423:
The idea is that a slow boat to China was the longest trip one could imagine. Loesser moved the phrase to a more romantic setting, yet it eventually entered general parlance to mean anything that takes an extremely long time.
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Referenced within the film ‘The
Apartment’ with the innuendo “Boy I’d like to get her on a slow boat to China”
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A Most
Remarkable Fella: Frank Loesser and the Guys and Dolls in His Life, A Portrait by His Daughter
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The song is a well-known pop standard, recorded by many artists, including a duet between
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Played on in the title of the song "Slow Hole to China" on the 2003 compilation album
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Frank
Loesser's daughter, Susan Loesser, authored a biography of her father,
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This article is about the pop standard. For 1980s country song, see
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Description of "girls
Stepping on that slow boat to China" in the
566:'s break-through book, recounting a journey from Piraeus to Canton.
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Played on in the title of the song "Slowcar to China" on the
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544:. Also played on the piano by Albert Trotter in the episode
158:
In the UK, the biggest hit version was recorded in 1959 by
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and His
Orchestra (Vocal: Glenn Hughes and The Martin Men)
871:(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover
162:, which peaked at #3 in the official singles chart.
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71:
59:
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44:
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187:Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook
695:"Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #22 - All Tracks"
506:) in an episode of the long running BBC sitcom
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682:. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research.
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580:, translated into English in the collection
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960:Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge
553:The phrase "a slow boat to China" (or a
219:
885:Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition
658:
592:Slow Hole to China: Rare and Unreleased
212:sang this song to honor Frank Loesser.
43:
641:Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
732:Allan, William (December 11, 1977). "
184:recorded the song for Midler's album
168:recorded the song for his 1966 album
7:
624:; an episode is called "Slow Bus to
502:Briefly sung by "Mother" (played by
171:Ronnie Dove Sings the Hits for You
25:
638:Used as a pun in a lyric for the
864:Why Don't We Do This More Often?
734:Jazz is back...big...on Records
1024:Songs written by Frank Loesser
576:The title of a short story by
196:performed the song with actor
1:
415:(1993), in which she writes:
160:Emile Ford and the Checkmates
967:That's Right – You're Wrong
1060:
528:Appears at the end of the
255:and His Orchestra (Vocal:
29:
27:1948 song by Frank Loesser
943:Kay Kyser's Greatest Hits
920:The Woody Woodpecker Song
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693:Gilliland, John. (197X).
680:Top Pop Records 1940–1955
618:Referred to elsewhere in
477:A Rather English Marriage
40:"On A Slow Boat to China"
635:song "Girls Girls Girls"
569:The title of a novel by
489:Featured briefly in the
459:Featured prominently in
438:Featured prominently in
927:On a Slow Boat to China
718:Loesser, Susan (1993).
499:", sung by Tree Trunks.
413:A Most Remarkable Fella
89:On A Slow Boat to China
18:On a Slow Boat to China
433:In film and television
421:
232:Date first reached the
120:Fancy Meeting You Here
621:Only Fools and Horses
583:The Elephant Vanishes
531:Only Fools and Horses
913:The Old Lamp-Lighter
878:Jingle Jangle Jingle
850:Three Little Fishies
738:The Pittsburgh Press
1034:Benny Goodman songs
699:UNT Digital Library
573:in Shanghai, China.
512:called "Fish Farm."
509:Absolutely Fabulous
283:This version was a
1039:Bette Midler songs
906:Ole Buttermilk Sky
307:RCA Victor Records
235:Billboard magazine
32:Slow Boat to China
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722:. Donald I. Fine.
557:thereof) features
542:Tessa Peake-Jones
521:, a 1989 film by
518:Eat a Bowl of Tea
404:
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392:November 26, 1948
340:November 12, 1948
238:Best Seller chart
200:in an episode of
117:(for their album
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16:(Redirected from
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995:Around the World
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366:November 5, 1948
314:October 29, 1948
274:October 15, 1948
267:Columbia Records
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111:Rosemary Clooney
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988:My Favorite Spy
974:You'll Find Out
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578:Haruki Murakami
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469:, performed by
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333:Capitol Records
237:
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203:The Muppet Show
141:Sammy Davis Jr.
125:Ella Fitzgerald
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66:Traditional pop
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385:Decca Records
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380:Larry Clinton
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145:Jimmy Buffett
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133:Frank Sinatra
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102:published in
101:
100:Frank Loesser
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80:Frank Loesser
78:
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74:Songwriter(s)
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702:. Retrieved
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595:by the band
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546:Stage Fright
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481:Featured in
476:
475:Featured in
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178:Bette Midler
176:
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108:
88:
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892:Strip Polka
818:Gloria Wood
811:Ginny Simms
571:Chen Danyan
564:Gavin Young
515:Appears in
461:Woody Allen
359:MGM Records
261:Gloria Wood
226:Released by
223:Recorded by
198:Roger Moore
166:Ronnie Dove
149:Fats Domino
137:Dean Martin
115:Bing Crosby
1029:1948 songs
1018:Categories
704:2021-02-15
653:References
646:Rockapella
607:Gary Numan
540:, sung by
523:Wayne Wang
497:Bad Timing
484:The Master
194:Miss Piggy
129:Joni James
123:(1958)),
981:Playmates
857:Playmates
778:Kay Kyser
626:Chingford
555:snowclone
495:episode "
466:September
463:'s movie
295:as well.
289:Australia
253:Kay Kyser
52:Published
678:(1973).
354:Art Lund
190:(2003).
842:Singles
449:⁄
311:20-3123
93:popular
91:" is a
946:(1962)
937:Albums
633:Sailor
609:album
597:Clutch
285:#1 hit
259:&
247:Notes
612:Dance
537:Dates
454:Women
428:Media
407:Idiom
389:24482
363:10269
337:15208
271:38301
61:Genre
293:1949
244:Peak
180:and
151:and
113:and
104:1948
96:song
55:1948
46:Song
736:".
398:#27
372:#13
346:#10
291:in
287:in
98:by
1020::
697:.
661:^
628:".
343:12
320:#5
317:17
280:#2
277:19
206:.
174:.
155:.
147:,
143:,
139:,
135:,
131:,
127:,
106:.
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763:t
756:v
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648:.
615:.
599:.
586:.
548:.
525:.
451:2
447:1
444:+
442:8
395:1
369:9
263:)
87:"
34:.
20:)
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