Back in the U.S.S.R.

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Back In The U.S.S.R. is the first track on The Beatles' 1968 self-titled album. It was written by Paul McCartney, but credited to Lennon/McCartney, as usual.

Contents

[edit] Writing

The song was written while The Beatles were in India. The lyrics were a parody of Chuck Berry's 1959 hit "Back In The USA" along with The Beach Boys' "California Girls. As Paul McCartney said, "It's tongue in cheek. This is a travelling Russkie who has just flown in from Miami Beach; he's come the other way. He can't wait to get back to the Georgian mountains: 'Georgia's always on my mind'; there's all sorts of little jokes in it... I remember trying to sing it in my Jerry Lee Lewis voice, to get my mind set on a particular feeling. We added Beach Boys style harmonies." While The Beatles were in India, Mike Love (Of The Beach Boys) was also there studying meditation. As Love lated said, "I was sitting at the breakfast table and McCartney came down with his acoustic guitar and he was playing Back In The USSR, and I told him that what you ought to do is talk about the girls all around Russia, the Ukraine and Georgia. He was plenty creative not to need any lyrical help from me but I gave him the idea for that little section... I think it was light-hearted and humorous of them to do a take on the Beach Boys." Also influencing the lyrics were Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia on my Mind" and the pro-industry campaign "I'm Backing Britain." According to Ian McDonald, the song was originally going to be titled "I'm Backing the UK." Then it was changed to "I'm Backing The USSR."

[edit] Recording

The song was recorded when Ringo Starr had left the group after Paul had criticized his drumming. Because of this, McCartney plays drums. This song, among with others, prompted Lennon to make this joke when asked if Ringo was the best drummer in the world; In the world? He’s not even the best drummer in the Beatles!" Paul later commented on him drumming in the song, "I’m sure it pissed him off when he couldn’t get the drums to Back In The USSR and I sat in. It’s very weird to know that you can do a thing someone else is having trouble with. If you go down and do it, just bluff through it, you think, ‘What the hell – at least I’m helping.’ Then the paranoia comes in: ‘But I’m going to show him up!’ I was very sensitive to that." The song was recorded in two days. On August 22, the first day of recording, McCartney played drums, Harrison on lead guitar, and Lennon on bass. They added two more drum, guitar, and bass tracks the next day, as well as a piano part, vocals, and handclaps.

[edit] Reaction

The song was very popular in Russia, though it had to be brought into the country illegally. However, other parts of the world thought that the song was poor taste and it was an anti-capitalist message, Some journalists wrote, "The Beatles are an integral part of the revolutionary milieu and receive high marks in the Communist press."

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Musicians

[edit] The Beatles

[edit] Production

[edit] Available Versions

[edit] Available On

[edit] Cover Versions

  • Dead Kennedys
  • Guns N' Roses
  • Billy Joel
  • Amanda Overmyer
  • Phish

[edit] Sources

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