Back in the U.S.S.R.

The Beatles

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 early 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
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
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


Lyrics submitted by Ice, edited by deborah305

Back In The U.S.S.R. Lyrics as written by Paul Mccartney John Lennon

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Back in the U.S.S.R. song meanings
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59 Comments

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  • +3
    General Comment

    The recording for this song began on August 22, 1968. When The Beatles gathered together in the studio to begin, tempers flared between Ringo and Paul, and Ringo walked out, announcing he was quitting The Beatles. In his place on this song, Paul played the drums, and with John and George, the entire track was completed without Ringo.

    During this time, The Beatles had a friendly relationship and rivalry with the Beach Boys. The longest time spent with them was on one of their trips to Rishikesh, India to visit the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. During this time, The Beatles and Beach Boys, along with Donovan, would jam and write songs together. Paul wrote "Back In The USSR," as a medley based on the Beach Boys and Chuck Berry. It was derived from a song by Berry in 1959 called "Back in The USA." Berry's song expressed his joy of being back in America with all its drive-ins, hamburgers, juke boxes, etc. Then Paul combined this with the Beach Boys song "California Girls," changing the love interest to Georgia girls and the Ukraine, speaking of them as if it was California.

    It was perceived by many Americans as a song that promoted the Russians in a time when the United States was at war with the Russian supported Viet Cong. But it wasn't this at all. It was merely a parody using the USSR in place of familiar settings like California.

    -- iamthebeatles.com

    J.Diddyon July 12, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    lol i love this song, even if it' s irony...

    rockstar001on June 10, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I wonder if Lennon had a certain sympathy for his homophonic (no, that doesn't mean gay) namesake.

    groupingon July 03, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Caps Lock Key. Hit it again, ladymadonna. Um...the lack of Strawberry Fields Forever I was irritated by, but Piggies? Why the hell would one WANT to be exposed to that repeatedly? SFF was/is very highly regarded. Piggies?

    pkjunon August 28, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i always liked that the sound of the plane was made by paul.

    poohbear1on June 24, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    echoes the Beach Boy's 'Back In The USA'. the beach boys were, sort of, a rival band at the time, as they too were enjoying chart success

    deltajoyon January 23, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    One of my favorite satires ever :)

    pkjunon April 20, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Fun to play on the guitar!

    Tyler250on May 02, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The non-materialism of the USSR compared to the USA. It was written when Britain and America had an obsessive hate of the USSR.

    IanoDublinon June 09, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    you know it really seems like the beach boys had a thing against the beatles..why? i know this really doesn't have much to do with the song but i really wanna know why...'cause my friend went to a beach boys concert/reunion and they were constantly dissing the beatles for some reason.

    appypollyloggyon August 15, 2002   Link

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