The first track of the Beatles’ White Album was a parody/tribute of Chuck Berry’s Back In The U.S.A. Written by McCartney, it took the joys which Americans felt in the nation and slyly converted them to a list of similar sentiments from a Soviet citizen/spy, just back from the U.S. to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Oh, flew in from Miami Beach B.O.A.C.
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 U.S.S.R.
You don’t know how lucky you are boy
Back in the U.S.S.R.

As the U.S.S.R. was a closed country, Paul had no list of sights and sounds of the nation as Berry had. So he worked with the stereotypical Soviet woes: bugged phones and cold weather. The repeated “Back in the U.S.” seemed a nudge at the Cold War politics between the two world powers.

Been away so long I hardly knew the place
Gee it’s good to be back home
Leave it ’til tomorrow to unpack my case
Honey disconnect the phone

I’m back in the U.S.S.R.
You don’t know how lucky you are boy
Back in the U.S.
Back in the U.S.
Back in the U.S.S.R.

Mike Love allegedly suggested the Beach Boys parody in the middle eight, supposedly cowriting the lyrics. Mayyyybbeee. I have to give credit to Paul for the line about Georgia being on his mind, though; a nice tip of the hat to the Ray Charles classic.

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

Jet plane noises whiz through the number, adding to the feeling of power. George played the main guitar solo, but Paul took it in the last verse. John, Paul and George all worked on the drum track, as Ringo had walked out of the session, the first Beatle to leave the group.

Yeah I’m back in the U.S.S.R.
You don’t know how lucky you are boys
Back in the U.S.S.R.

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

The final line includes some of Paul’s patented nudge nudge, wink wink double entendres.

Oh, show me ’round your snow-peaked mountains way down south
Take me to your daddy’s farm
Let me hear your balalaikas ringing out
Come and keep your comrade warm

I’m back in the U.S.S.R.
You don’t know how lucky you are boy
Back in the U.S.S.R.

The Russians love this song to this day. I’m not sure how the Ukrainians feel, but their women probably love it.