The Beatles – Back in the U.S.S.R.

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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 Geogie'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

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Lyrics submitted by Ice

Track duration: 02:35

"Back in the U.S.S.R." as written by John Winston Lennon, Paul James Mccartney

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:lol I have always though this song was funny. I am pretty sure it was making fun of both America and the USSR at the same time. I also think like someone else mentioned it was a parody of other songs, including Georgia on my Mind, and California Girls.. etc. sorta like a Russian version .. but one that pokes fun of America, AND the USSR at the same time. Whatever it's about I think it's funny!
    Flag PTCGAZon December 31, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:It's a song about being happy to be home in good old Soviet Union.
    Flag Nocturnaeon January 25, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm sure the lyrics are lampooning BOTH post-war America's "greatest country in the world" jingoistic ra-ra mentality AND the failure of the Soviet government to provide even the basic necessities of life for many citizens, as their communist manifesto had promised.

    The lyrics also contain a clever nod to Georgia (the Country - which was under Soviet Union rule in 1968) via the reference to the old American hit, Georgia on My Mind. This is of course a triple pun, as the listener has to decide whether Paul may be referring to a girl named Georgia.

    Musically, it's a send-up of The Beach Boys, as others have said (specifically the song California Girls) as well as 50's-style American doo-wop and rock n' roll.
    Flag Lantaon September 05, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Neither pro nor anti Soviet. It's no more lampooning the USSR than it's attacking America... which is not at all.

    Random aside: I love how he sings the line "That Georgia's always on my mind" just ambiguously enough that it could sound like "That George is always on my mind." No idea if it was intentional, but sly faux-affectionate references like that to each other was always a very Beatles thing to do.
    Flag stygimolochon July 01, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Heres a mental mans review.

    First off, glad that nobody thinks hes talking about the state when he says "Georgia's always on my mind."
    anyway, i'm think that this about a spy or sometthing like that going back to the USSR.... Or maybe just a guy sent there by force... I dont know, I just lost track of what I was thimking about........

    Georgia rules
    Flag sidoravichon June 14, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The lyric 'That Georgia's always on my mind' echoes the song "Georgia on My Mind" by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell. Which is also Georgia's state song. They're taking that patriotic southern song and turning it into a reference to Georgia the European country.
    Flag fizzypopismon November 16, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this is my dads fave beatles song, only cuz hes a huge beach boys fan (i dont think he knows that it's kinda making fun of em, but he loves the beat!)
    Flag happythoughtson June 16, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Back in the USSR-This song means to me…that Paul is a cheeky fella. That The Beatles were wise-acres and that they borrowed from the Beach Boys, most likely satirically. Every time I hear this song I think about Great Britain’s proximity to Russia and the trips the Boys used to make to Hamburg and other musical destinations when they were trying to make it. I wonder if they went to Russia and saw some things that made them create a song about what they saw. As for the meaning of the song itself, the lyrics don’t leave much to the imagination and I take them at face value-even if John & Paul were being satirical. This song grows old quick for me.
    Flag radoncphys2on October 05, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I mean't to say I don't think the Beach Boys ever recorded "Back in the USA".
    Flag TheBeckleson July 19, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I wouldn't call this a parody either. Song writers are always looking for something to write about. This is 'take Chuck Berry's "Back in the USA" and make it about the USSR'. (I don't think the Beach Boys ever recorded this.)

    "Back in the USA" was a bigger hit for Linda Ronstadt in the seventies. The lyrics "I'm so glad I'm living in the USA, Anything you want you got it right here in the USA. Did I miss the skyscrapers, did I miss the local DJ?" are nothing like "Back in the USSR" and the music is completely diferent.

    The middle part that talks about the USSR girls is obviously reminiscent of the Beach Boys' "California Girls", although musically it's not really that close.

    Many bands did seem old fassioned after the Beatles came out (even Elvis) but the Beach Boys were one of the few bands that still seemed cool. They even had hits coming out right in the middle of Beatlemania (1964), "I Get Around" and "Fun, Fun, Fun".
    Flag TheBeckleson July 19, 2008   Link

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