"Back in the USSR" meaning?

Please don't think of me as some Commie-hating Yank or something like
that, but I was wondering what was the inspiration for Paul writing
"Back in the USSR"?

Was it a humorous jab at the Beach Boys, with "California Girls,"
"Surfin' USA"-type stuff? During the "Ukraine girls really knock me
out, ..." part, I always get reminded of the Beach Boys/Jan&Dean
harmonies the Beatles do in the backing vocals.

Bill Kawalec...

duh. yes, it's no deeper than that.

Lizz Holmans...

Part of the reason was a good-natured take-off on the Beach Boys, who
were marketed in the US as the true American supergroup. Part of it
may have come from the Cold War, which was still in full force at the
time. Contrasting Chuck Berry's own ironic 'Back in the USA', but not
closely enough for the ever-litigious Berry.

Lizz 'The rest, God only knows' Holmans

Chris Hoelscher...

also perhaps a play on Ray Charles "that g-g-g-g-georgia's on my mind"
(Georgia was a Soviet State, Georgia on My Mind was a great song for RC)

chris 'hit the road jack" hoelscher

Any thoughts?

Runnnerr...

What's wrong with being a commie hating Yank?

Leon Trollski...

What's wrong is it's hold-at.

And yes, the song was inspired by The Beach Boys as well as by Chuck
Berry.

Danny Caccavo...

With Paul doing his "Elvis" voice to boot....

I always thought the lyric was really clever....