Somewhere over China


Somewhere over China is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. It was released in January 1982 as MCA 5285 and is the last Buffett album produced by Norbert Putnam.

Songs

In addition to songs written or co-written by Buffett, the album includes the John Scott Sherrill-penned "Steamer" and Frank Loesser's 1940s standard "On a Slow Boat to China." Recorded for the album but not included was "Elvis Imitators", also written by Goodman, with Buffett singing an Elvis Presley imitation with the Jordanaires on background vocals. The song was to be credited to "Freddie and the Fishsticks" and it was later released on Buffett's box set, Boats, Beaches, Bars & Ballads. "I Heard I Was in Town" was also included on the box set in the Ballads section, but in a slightly different mix than what appears on Somewhere over China; it also makes its only official live recording on Buffett's 2009 live EP Live from Key West.
Record World called the single "It's Midnight and I'm Not Famous Yet" a "sharp rocker."

Chart performance

Somewhere over China reached No. 31 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The song "It's Midnight and I'm Not Famous Yet" hit No. 32 on the Billboard Rock Tracks chart.

Personnel

The Coral Reefer Band:
Additional Reefers:

Singles

  • "It's Midnight And I'm Not Famous Yet" b/w "When Salome Plays The Drum"
  • "Where's The Party" b/w "If I Could Just Get It On Paper"