"Somewhere Over China" lyrics

Just a semi normal person, thought he had the future planned
Then he won some silly sweepstakes, now he had a hundred grand
Never stopped to think of taxes, he was gone before they knew
With a flair for old romantics, to the Orient he flew

When they fueled in Papeete, placed a call to Big Mamou
With an honest explanation, just to tell the whole damn truth
It's his one chance in a million, who'd deny the simple fact?
T'was no use to talk it over, he'd be home when he got back

Now he's somewhere over China, lookin' down on all the trails
On the mountains lookin' back at him, it's a real live fairy tale
Put a little distance between causes and effects
Like a day-old fortune cookie, askin' who or what comes next

What the hell did Marco Polo think when he ran into the wall?
Or the crazy flying tigers doin' spins and loops and stalls
Just a taste for something different, perking up a boring day
Now our man from Louisiana feels exactly the same way

They're all somewhere over China, Shanghai or old Peking
On a plane or a boat in an envelope, real adventure has its ring
Just to put a little distance between fact and fantasy
Still six thousand miles away from where I really want to be

How I would love to drive the shuttle just to feel the engines roar
And to operate the levers that control the payload doors
I could buzz the Himalayas, barrel roll above Hong Kong
Set her down in San Francisco to the clanging of the gong

We're all somewhere over China, headin' east or headin' west
Takin' time to live a little, flying so far from the nest
Just to put a little distance between causes and effects
Like an ancient fortune teller knowin' who and what comes next