Oftentimes the songs we perceive as being rich with complexity started off as little more than a musician’s desire to experiment and do something different. And there really is no nuanced political meaning woven into the lyrics. Obviously, the title of the track has now been made provocative as the Russian head of state embraces expansionism, and literally attempts to return Russian borders back to something resembling what they were in the time of the USSR.īut outside of that, current events do little to change the meaning of the song.
What does “Back in the USSR” mean to us today? That is why “Back in the USSR” elicited such strong reactions back then. In search of a geopolitical alternative, it was natural that the culture’s gaze fix upon the Soviet Union, a perfect foil to the west. While many of those critiques are drably serious for what is obviously a sarcastic song, it can not be disputed that the song struck a certain chord.Īs the monstrosities of Vietnam were increasingly televised, the public’s belief in the notion of American exceptionalism began to wane for the first time. While some saw it as screaming with excitement and ingenious, others saw it as half-hearted and limp.īut the strongest rebuke of the track came from the political sphere, where many across the left-right spectrum accused it as being sympathetic to socialism, and further evidence of the Beatles’ pro-soviet sentiment. And later, Rolling Stone would slot it in as only the 85th best of the Beatles songs.Ĭritical response was mixed as well. 19 on the UK Single Chart, a modest ranking relative to some of the Beatles’ other galactically popular songs.
How the culture interpreted the sarcastic song at the time. Hey, it’s so good to be home (Woo, ooh, ooh) McCartney wondered, what would happen if a Russian spy thought the same after being away from his own country? Those lyrics are a spoof on how Americans often miss their conveniences while traveling out of the country, craving things like fast food and a Howard Johnson hotel. Oh, show me ’round your snow-peaked mountains way down southīeen away so long, I hardly knew the place One of those songs was “Back in the USSR,” which comes from the perspective of a Russian spy, who after an extended stay in America, returns home to the Soviet Union and indulges in those most Russian of pleasantries: the icily beautiful landscape, and the warmth and favors of Russian women. Yes, to escape fame and learn transcendental meditation in 1968, the band traveled to Rishikesh, a trip that was uniquely productive for McCartney in particular, who later claimed to have penned fifteen songs during his five-week stay. Talk about an international conception-Paul McCartney and John Lennon wrote the lyrics to the titularly Russian song in India, to riff off Chuck Berry’s pro-America song “Back in the USA,” after being originally inspired by Britain’s industrially provincial “I’m Backing Britain” campaign. The writing, lyrics, and original meaning of “Back in the USSR.”
0 kommentar(er)
