Composition Back in the USSR (“Back in the USSR”) The Beatles enjoyed incredible popularity among Soviet music lovers. How else, with such and such a name! It even spawned a myth that the Beatles wrote it after a secret trip to Moscow, where they performed in front of the children of the party elite.
But the real history of the song is by no means so mysterious, although it is also not without curious twists and turns.
History of the song Back in the USSR
Although McCartney and Lennon are officially listed as the authors of Back in the USSR, Paul actually wrote it. It is interesting that the British musician began composing this ironic composition about the Soviet Union in India, where he and his colleagues in The Beatles studied the mysteries of meditation from a local guru. Mike Love of The Beach Boys was also there, to whom McCartney sang a working version of the song.
According to Mike, he even took an indirect part in the creative process:
Paul came down for breakfast one morning and said, “Hey Mike, listen to this.” And he started to play the guitar and sing verses Back in the USSR And I said, “Well, Paul, what you should do is talk about girls all over Russia, Ukrainian girls, and then Georgia on my mind and so on in the same spirit.” And so he did.
I think it was the fact that I was there that made Paul think like the Beach Boys. And then my suggestion appeared, what to do in the transition between verses. He accepted it and created, as only Sir Paul can, a really great song.
SongFacts.com
The meaning of the song Back in the USSR
Paul McCartney tried to explain the main idea of the song in many interviews. However, knowing the tendency of The Beatles members to make fun of journalists, we can assume that he was far from always serious in his statements:
I think it’s just about a spy who spent a long time in America and became very American. But when he returns to the USSR, he says: “I’ll unpack my things tomorrow, but for now, baby, turn off the phone,” and all that, but for Russian women.
1968
I wrote it as a kind of parody of the Beach Boys. And Back in the USA was one of the Chuck Berry songs, so it’s sort of copied from there. I just liked the idea of Georgian girls and talking about places like Ukraine like it was California, you know? She was also like a hand outstretched across the ocean, which I am still aware of. After all, they like us there, even if the bosses in the Kremlin may not like us.
Playboy 1984
It’s irony. About a traveling Russian who just flew in from Miami Beach… He can’t wait to get back to the mountains of Georgia: “I always think about Georgia” [Georgia’s always on my mind], – it is full of different jokes … I remember how I tried to sing it with my Jerry Lee Lewis voice to tune in a special way. We added the stylistic harmonies of the Beach Boys.
Many Years from Now, Barry Miles
The title is Chuck Berry’s Back in the USA and the song itself is more of an imitation of Chuck. Soldiers were returning from Korea, Vietnam, and God knows where, and Chuck sang about it. I thought it would be funny to parody this in the form of an extremely unlikely return to Siberia.
Mojo, 2008
As you can see, there are some funny allusions in the text. In addition to the title, which sends listeners to the aforementioned Berry composition, the song contains references to the famous Georgia on My Mind by Hoagy Carlmichael and Stuart Gorrell (Georgia in English means both the state of Georgia and Georgia). And the references to Soviet girls are an allusion to California Girls The Beach Boys.
Recording Back in the USSR
At that time, relations in the group were far from ideal, so during the recording in the studio there was a difficult atmosphere. Tensions came to a head when Ringo Starr, enraged by McCartney’s criticism of his playing, announced he was leaving The Beatles and took his family to Sardinia for two weeks. Paul had to replace him.
Back in the USSR was recorded on August 22-23, 1968. McCartney played drums, Harrison played electric guitar, and Lennon played bass guitar. Recall that the Beatles still persuaded Starr to return to the group and even decorated Ringo’s drum set with flowers for his return.
The sounds of the plane taking off and landing, which can be heard at the beginning and end of the song, were found in the collection of Abbey Road Studios. They were recorded at the London airport.
The track opens the double album by The Beatles, also known as the “White Album”. In 1969, the song was released as a single with Don’t Pass Me By on the back in the Scandinavian countries. It was not released in the UK as a single until 1976 with Twist and Shout on the B-side.
Back in the USSR – The Beatles
And now I propose to watch the official text clip Back in the USSR of the rock band The Beatles.
Interesting Facts
- According to one version, the name of the song was borrowed from the I’m Backing Britain campaign, which was led by British Prime Minister Harold Wilson.
- Since the composition was released at the height of the Vietnam War and the Cold War, the musicians from The Beatles got it from conservative Western politicians because of this composition, which they considered pro-Soviet. They were especially outraged by the line “You don’t understand how lucky you are, boy.”
- Over the years, the song was performed at concerts in Moscow by Elton John and Billy Joel. The audience received it with incredible enthusiasm.
- In 1988, Paul McCartney released an album in the USSR called Back in the USSR, and in 2002 his US tour was called Back in the US
Back lyrics in the USSR – The Beatles
Flew in from Miami Beach BOAC1
Didn’t get to bed last night
On the way the paper bag was on my knee
Man, I had a dreadful flight
I’m back in the USSR
You don’t know how lucky you are boy
Back in the USSR, yeah
Been away so long I hardly knew the place
Gee, it’s good to be back home
Leave it till tomorrow to unpack my case
Honey disconnect the phone
I’m back in the USSR
You don’t know how lucky you are boy
Back in the US
Back in the US
Back in the USSR
Well the Ukraine girls really knock me out
They leave the west behind
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout
That Georgia’s always on my my my my my my my my my mind
Oh come on
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I’m back in the USSR
You don’t know how lucky you are boys
Back in the USSR
Well the Ukraine girls really knock me out
They leave the west behind
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout
That Georgia’s always on my my my my my my my my my mind
Oh, show me round your snow peaked
mountain way down south
Take me to your daddy’s farm
Let me hear your balalaika’s ringing out
Come and keep your comrade warm
I’m back in the USSR
Hey, you don’t know how lucky you are, boy
Back in the USSR
Oh let me tell you honey
Back in the USSR – The Beatles Lyrics
Flew in from Miami Beach on a BOAC flight
Didn’t sleep all last night
On the way, I held a paper bag on my knees.
Damn it was a terrible night
I’m back in the USSR
You don’t understand how lucky you are boy
Back in the USSR
I haven’t been here in such a long time that I could hardly recognize everything.
It’s good to be home again
I’ll unpack things tomorrow, but for now,
Baby, turn off your phone
I’m back in the USSR
You don’t understand how lucky you are boy
Back in the SS
Back in the SS
Back in the USSR
I can’t resist Ukrainian girls
Westerners are far from them
And when I look at Moscow, I want to sing and yell,
What do I always think about Georgia
Oh come on
Yes Yes Yes
I’m back in the USSR
You don’t understand how lucky you guys are
Back in the USSR
From Ukrainian girls, the head is spinning,
Westerners are far from them
And when I look at Moscow, I want to sing and yell,
What do I always think about Georgia
Oh show me your snowy
The tops of the mountains there in the south
Take me to your daddy’s farm
Let me hear how the balalaika sounds
Warm a friend with your warmth
I’m back in the USSR
Hey you don’t understand how lucky you are boy
Back in the USSR
Oh honey I’m telling you
1. BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) is a British state-owned airline that does not currently exist.
