Somewhere over China

Somewhere over China
Studio album by Jimmy Buffett
Released	January 1982
Recorded	September–October 1981
Studios	Bennett House, (Franklin, Tennessee)
Genres	Country rock Gulf and Western
Length	35:18
Labels	MCA MCA-5285 (US, 12")
Producer	Norbert Putnam
Jimmy Buffett chronology
Coconut Telegraph (1981) Somewhere over China (1982) One Particular Harbour (1983)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

Somewhere over China (Chinese: 在中國的某一地方; pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó de Mǒu yí Dìfāng) 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 (two with Steve Goodman and two with Michael Utley), 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 (then new) Billboard Rock Tracks chart.

Track listing

Personnel

The Coral Reefer Band:

• Jimmy Buffett – vocals, rhythm guitar
• Josh Leo – electric and acoustic guitars
• Barry Chance – electric and acoustic guitars
• Michael Utley – piano, organ, synthesizer
• Greg "Fingers" Taylor – harmonica
• Harry Dailey – bass
• Matt "Matty Dread" Betton – drums, timbales
• M. L. Benoit – congas

Additional Reefers:

• Farrell Morris – vibes and percussion
• Norbert Putnam – upright bass and Casio
• Doyle Grisham – pedal steel guitar
• Hank DeVito – pedal steel guitar on "If I could Just Get it on Paper"
• Deborah McColl – reeferette
• Florence "Bambi" Warner – reeferette
• Christian Bachellier – reeferette
• David Loggins – reeferette
• Freddy Fishstick – reeferette

Singles

• "It's Midnight And I'm Not Famous Yet" b/w "When Salome Plays The Drum" (Released on MCA 52013 in February 1982)
• "Where's The Party" b/w "If I Could Just Get It On Paper" (Released on MCA 52050 in April 1982)

Notes