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In The USSR
(John Lennon/Paul McCartney)
Paul McCartney:
Vocals, piano, lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, handclaps,
percussion
John Lennon: Vocals, lead guitar, 6-string bass guitar,
drums, handclaps, percussion
George Harrison: Vocals, lead guitar, bass guitar, drums,
handclaps, percussion
Recorded
August 22, 23 1968.
Available on:
The
Beatles (The White Album)
The Beatles 1967-1970(The Blue Album)
At this
point in the Beatles' career, the atmosphere in the studio wasn't always as good as it used to. This ultimately
lead to Ringo's departure from the group - although only
for a few days - allegedly because he was fed up hanging
around in Abbey Road's reception area, waiting for the others
to turn up.
So Paul
McCartney took care of the drums on Back In The USSR, probably
with contributions from George and John. It's also worth
noting that all three - Paul, John and George - played bass
guitar on this track.
The song
was originally called "I'm Backing the UK," inspired
by the 1968 pro-British industry campaign "I'm Backing
Britain." It then changed name to "I'm Backing
USSR," before finding its final title via Chuck Berry's
1959 hit "Back in the USA."
It's a
wonderful, up-tempo rock number, a "potboiler"
as George Martin would say. The only unfortunate thing was that Russian tanks were rolling into Czechoslovakia
at the time it was recorded. This, believe it or not, prompted
the John Birch Society to charge The Beatles with fomenting
communism.
The song
is full of energy and humor, and the Beach Boys references
shine through in the vocal harmonies. But while the Beach Boys
hailed American girls in their hit California Girls,
the Beatles sent their complements to girls in the Ukraine,
Moscow and Georgia (all just for Fun Fun Fun, of course.)
And if you really want to know, the plane sound which appears
now and again throughout the song is a Viscount aero plane
recorded at London Heathrow Airport.
After
a few days, Ringo returned to the Beatles family. He was
greeted by a studio decorated in flowers, and a message
on his drum kit which read: "Welcome Back Ringo."
Normality
was restored - at least for a while.
Back
In The USSR
(John Lennon/Paul McCartney)
Flew in from Miami Beach BOAC
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
They Georgia's always on my my my my my my my my my mind
Oh, come on
Hu Hey Hu, hey, ah, yeah
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
They 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 you daddy's farm
Let me hear you 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
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