Back in the U.S.S.R.
Back in the USSR (also: Back in the USSR, German: , Back in the USSR ') is a song by British band The Beatles in 1968, it appeared as the first song on the double album The Beatles (also known as the. White album). Words and Music Paul McCartney wrote, but the song as with the Beatles was released available under the authors' names Lennon / McCartney.
Background
Back in the USSR was written by Paul McCartney during an India - stay of the Beatles in Rishikesh in early 1968. The song was inspired by Back in the United States of Chuck Berry and California Girls by the Beach Boys. Mike Love of the Beach Boys, who accompanied the Beatles in Rishikesh, McCartney had given tips for the text of Back in the USSR.
At the time of publication, the band of conservative circles in the U.S. has been criticized for the song. The right-wing John Birch Society imputed to the band propagate communism. In contrast, the song was very well received by listeners in the former USSR, who heard about it smuggled tapes.
Recording
During rehearsals of Back in the USSR on August 22, 1968, the drummer of The Beatles Ringo Starr came with the rest of the band in heated argument that ended by saying that he still left the band during the trial. For this reason, Paul McCartney played drums on Back in the USSR.
With McCartney on drums, John Lennon on a six-string bass and George Harrison on lead guitar was recorded back in the USSR in five takes. The recordings took place on 22 August 1968 in the Abbey Road Studios in London. Producer was George Martin, assisted by Ken Scott.
On August 23, 1968, the Beatles recorded overdubs for Back in the USSR on: drums, bass, lead guitar, piano and vocals. Lennon, McCartney and Harrison still controlled in joint backing vocals in the style of the Beach Boys. On the same day the song was mixed in mono, where the recording was also backed by the sound of a starting and landing transport aircraft of the brand Vickers Viscount. The sounds were taken from the archive of the Abbey Road studios and emerged at London Heathrow Airport.
Publication
Back in the USSR was published on November 22, 1968 on the White Album. As a single, it was initially not coupled. Only in 1976 it was released in the UK as a separate single, and reached number 19 on the UK Singles Charts.
Cover versions
As of most songs of the Beatles resistant cover versions have been published since the publication in 1968, including Ramsey Lewis ( 1968), Dead Kennedys (1979 ), Billy Joel (1987 ), Leningrad Cowboys (1993 ) Lemmy Kilmister or (2006). A version of Chubby Checker placed in 1969 on the Billboard Hot 100
Paul McCartney took the piece for the first time in 1989 in his concert program. Live versions appeared on the albums Tripping the Live Fantastic (1990 ), Back in the U.S. ( 2002) and Good Evening New York City ( 2009). Another version of a concert in Los Angeles from 2007 is located on the CD Paul McCartney Live in Los Angeles, which was released exclusively on 17 January 2010 in the UK and Ireland as a supplement of the newspaper The Mail on Sunday or Irish Daily Mail.