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“Back in the U.S.S.R.” by The Beatles

Released 1968

“Back in the U.S.S.R.” by The Beatles appears on 52 radio countdowns from 19 stations between 1982 and 2026. It was first released in 1968. Its best result is #19 on the 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 500 (2013). In the combined RockLists rankings it is #3,546 alternative song of all time.

52countdowns
19stations
#19best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1982–2026years charted

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Back In The U.S.S.R (2018 Mix)

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The White Album opens with the roar of a jet, and out of the noise comes "Back in the U.S.S.R.", Paul McCartney's 1968 send-up of Chuck Berry's "Back in the U.S.A." with the Beach Boys' "California Girls" folded in for good measure. Berry's flag-waving homecoming gets flipped: this traveler is thrilled to be landing back in the Soviet Union, the bridge swoons over its girls in surf-harmony style, and McCartney hollers like Jerry Lee Lewis.

Ringo Starr had walked out of the tense sessions, stung by McCartney's remarks about his drumming, so the other three cut it on their own and stitched the drums together from several takes, with McCartney, George Harrison and John Lennon sharing the kit. Arriving months after the Warsaw Pact invaded Czechoslovakia, its fond view of the USSR drew fire from radicals and conservatives alike.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

Hard Rock & Metal

All Rock Formats

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1982 45 95.5 KLOS KLOS Memorial Day 500 (1982) 499
1991 214 WNEW-FM WNEW Firecracker 500 (1991) 500
1996 197 WNEW-FM WNEW Firecracker 500 (1996) 500
1997 293 100.7 WZLX WZLX Memorial 500 (1997) 499
1997 557 102.3 WBAB WBAB Top 1,023 Rock and Roll Songs of All Time (1997) 1023
1998 284 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1998) 1000
1999 998 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1999) 998
2001 181 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 500
2001 113 WFPK WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time 2000
2002 447 100.7 WZLX WZLX Memorial 500 (2002) 500
2002 536 92.3 KGON KGON Top 923 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2002) 923
2004 530 92.3 KGON KGON Top 923 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2004) 923
2004 349 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 500
2005 441 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 500
2006 291 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2006) 500
2010 122 WXPN WXPN 885 Ultimate Road Trip Songs (2010) 885
2011 363 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1100 Countdown (2011) 1100
2012 412 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2012) 500
2012 364 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1200 Countdown (2012) 1200
2012 80 WXPN WXPN 885 Greatest Rock Songs (2012) 885
2013 240 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Grand Jam 1000 (2013) 1000
2013 333 Big 100 BIG 500 Labor Day Countdown (2013) 500
2013 158 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2013) 500
2013 19 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 500 (2013) 500
2014 309 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX 1K Countdown (2014) 1000
2014 171 Big 100 BIG 1000 New Year's Countdown (2014) 1000
2014 230 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 400 (2014) 400
2014 875 WXPN WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2014) 885
2015 311 I-95 I-95 Memorial Day Weekend Top 500 (2015) 500
2015 52 102.9 The Whale 102.9 The Whale Hartford 500 (2015) 500
2015 240 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Classic Rock Countdown (2015) 1007
2015 159 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 500 (2015) 499
2016 322 WYEP WYEP 913 Countdown 2016 913
2016 261 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Countdown for 2016 1007
2016 168 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2016) 500
2017 182 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2017) 500
2017 360 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2017) 500
2018 181 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2018) 500
2018 389 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2018) 500
2019 322 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2019) 500
2020 824 102.5 KZOK KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2020) 1025
2020 1438 WXPN WXPN 2020 Greatest Songs of All Time 2020
2021 611 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2021) 1043
2022 240 102.5 KZOK KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2022) 1025
2022 847 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2022) 1043
2023 593 101.5 WPDH WPDH Top 1015 (2023) 1015
2023 411 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2023) 1043
2023 28 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 800 Songs About Places 800
2024 417 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2024) 1043
2024 159 KEXP The Best Opening Tracks of All Time 738
2025 1011 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2025) 1043
2026 1166 WYEP WYEP Greatest Songs of All Time 1180

Also listed as: Back In The U.S.S.R.; Back in the U.S.S.R; Back in the USSR; Back in the U.s.s.r.; Back In The USSR; Back In The U.S.S.R.

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