Back in the U.S.S.R.
“Flew in from Miami Beach, B.O.A.C.”
McCartney's White Album opener: a Chuck Berry pastiche flipping 'Back in the U.S.A.' into a Cold War homecoming, with a Beach Boys-style chorus cataloguing Soviet regions. Recorded without Ringo, who had temporarily quit the band days earlier. The BBC withheld it during the 1991 Gulf War, not on its 1968 release.
Track1 · Album opener · Side 1 · Side opener
Songwriter(s)McCartneyCredited as Lennon-McCartney
RecordedAugust 22 – 23, 1968
ReleasedNovember 22, 1968
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Text321 tags
Word cloud
Recurring words
bedbehindcasegirlsknockluckypaperplacerefrainroundshowsingspokentomorrowwarmabout itand keepbe backbeen awaydon't knowgood toit's goodkeep yourknew theknow howleave itlong iman ime outme roundshow mesing andtake methe phonethe placeto bedto youryeah i'myou aboutyou arealways on mydon't know howgood to beit's good tome to youron the wayyou don't know
Cover-shared words
aboutalwaysawaybackbagboyboyscomegetgoodhearheyhomehoneyitkeepkneeknewknowlastleaveletlongmakemanmemynightohoohringingshouttaketelltheytillwaywellyeahyeah-yeahyouyourand shoutback homeback income andcome onget tohad ai hadlast nightlet memake meme hearme tellme toon myout oohso longtell youthe wayto beyou don'tback in thelet me hearway down southlet me tell you
Lyric shape
[ADJ] you[ADJ] your[ADV] so[ADV] the[NOUN] was[VERB] out[WORD] i'm[WORD] it's[WORD] reallyare [NOUN]be [ADV]been [ADV]i'm [ADV][ADJ] to be[ADV] [VERB] the[ADV] the [WORD][ADV] to [WORD][NOUN] [NOUN] was[NOUN] i had[NOUN] the [NOUN][VERB] how [ADJ][VERB] me out[VERB] to [NOUN][WORD] [VERB] out[WORD] [WORD] really[WORD] i'm [ADV][WORD] it's [ADJ][WORD] on my[WORD] really [VERB]and [WORD] [WORD]don't [VERB] howi [ADV] [VERB]it's [ADJ] tothe [NOUN] [NOUN]to be [ADV]to your [WORD]you are [WORD][ADJ] to be [ADV][ADV] [VERB] the [NOUN][NOUN] [ADV] to [WORD][NOUN] [WORD] the [NOUN][VERB] i [ADV] [VERB][VERB] me [VERB] your[VERB] me to your[VERB] your [WORD] [VERB]had a [ADJ] [NOUN]in the [WORD] [WORD]they [VERB] the [NOUN]you don't [VERB] howyour [VERB] [WORD] [NOUN][VERB] me [VERB] you [WORD]it's [ADJ] to be [ADV]
Cover-shared shape
[ADJ] to[ADV] in[ADV] to[NOUN] down[NOUN] i[NOUN] the[VERB] and[VERB] how[VERB] i[VERB] in[VERB] it[VERB] me[VERB] on[VERB] the[VERB] to[VERB] you[VERB] your[WORD] it[WORD] my[WORD] on[WORD] thea [ADJ]and [VERB]and [WORD]are [WORD]didn't [VERB]don't [VERB]down [NOUN]from [WORD]it [NOUN]it's [ADJ]me [ADJ]me [VERB]my [NOUN]my [WORD]out [WORD]really [VERB]so [VERB]that [WORD]the [NOUN]the [WORD]they [VERB]to [NOUN]to [WORD]you [WORD]your [VERB]your [WORD][ADV] in the[NOUN] down [NOUN][VERB] [VERB] me[VERB] and [VERB][VERB] it [NOUN][VERB] me [ADJ][VERB] me [VERB][VERB] me to[VERB] the [NOUN][VERB] you [WORD][VERB] your [WORD][WORD] [VERB] me[WORD] [VERB] on[WORD] [WORD] on[WORD] my [NOUN][WORD] the [NOUN]a [ADJ] [NOUN]and [VERB] [WORD]didn't [VERB] toin the [NOUN]in the [WORD]on my [NOUN]on my [WORD]on the [NOUN]really [VERB] methat [WORD] [WORD]the [NOUN] [WORD]the [NOUN] thethe [WORD] [WORD]you [WORD] ityou don't [VERB]your [VERB] [WORD]your [WORD] [NOUN]your [WORD] [VERB][ADV] in the [NOUN][ADV] in the [WORD][VERB] [VERB] me [VERB][VERB] and [VERB] [WORD][VERB] and [VERB] your[VERB] it [NOUN] [ADV][VERB] me [VERB] you[VERB] the [NOUN] [WORD][WORD] [VERB] me [VERB][WORD] [WORD] [VERB] meand [VERB] [WORD] [WORD][VERB] and [VERB] [WORD] [WORD][VERB] me [VERB] and [VERB]
Distinctive word
ad-libbalalaikasbeachboaccomradedaddy'fsdisconnectdreadfulfarmflewflightgeegeorgia'shardlyhoo-hoomi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mindmiamimoscowmountainssnow-peakedukraineunpackussrwest
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Music202 tags
Chord shape
C → FC → B♭ → FC → E♭C → DC → D♭ → DC → GC → D → AC → B♭C → D♭C → G → CC7 → B♭7C → CC → C7C → C → CC7 → FC → F → B♭C7 → F → B♭C → AC7 → F7C → F → DC → F → D → GC → A7C → A → DC7 → GC → F → E♭C7 → B♭7 → FC → A7 → D7C → G → B♭C → B♭ → F → B♭C → F → E♭ → B♭C → F → D7C → F → E♭ → FC → G → C → AC → G → C → B♭C → D → A → DC7 → F7 → E♭7C7 → F7 → E♭7 → B♭C → F → D → G → FC → F → D7 → G7C → B♭ → C → GC → E♭ → E♭C → F → F♯C → C → DC6 → D
Chord literal
D → A → DA → DC → DD → AA → CE → DC → CE → AE7 → AB → EA → D → BA → D → B → EB7 → E7D → BE → D → AA → D → B7 → E7D → B7D → CE → A → DD → B → EB → E → DA → D → B7E7 → A → DD7 → AC → C7A → D → CE7 → D7B → E → D → AE → D → A → DD → B7 → E7C → C → CA → D → B → E → DD → A → D → BA → D → C → DA → C → CD → A → C
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Studio17 tags
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People11 tags
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Info20 tags
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Sources & references
Tags on this page are original analysis, transcribed and cross-checked against the fine work of others: Alan W. Pollack's “Notes on…” series, the Beatles Complete Scores (Hal Leonard), Mark Lewisohn's session histories, Ian MacDonald's Revolution in the Head, Dave Rybaczewski's Beatles Music History and Andy Babiuk's Beatles Gear for the instruments and studio equipment, and others besides - then verified by ear against the recordings. Full bibliography: Sources & thanks.
External entity links: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz recording · MusicBrainz work · Wikidata
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