Recording "Back In The U.S.S.R."

On this day, The Beatles gathered at Abbey Road to record Paul McCartney’s “Back In The U.S.S.R.” Frustrated with Paul’s critique of his drumming and the tense atmosphere of the White Album sessions, Ringo Starr chose to leave the session and quit the band. He came back to the Beatles sessions 13 days later, on September 3.

I remember Ringo being uptight about something, I don’t remember what, and the next thing I was told was that he’d quit the band. But work continued. They did Back In The U.S.S.R. with what I seem to recall was a composite drum track of bits and pieces, possibly with all of the other three playing drums. Within a few days the differences had been sorted out and Ringo came back. Mal Evans completely decorated studio two with flowers, they were all over his drum kit, ‘Welcome Back Ringo’.

Ken Scott – Engineer – From “The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions” by Mark Lewisohn, 1988

I’m sure it pissed Ringo off when he couldn’t quite get the drums to ‘Back In The USSR’ and I sat in. It’s very weird to know that you can do a thing someone else is having trouble with. If you go down and do it, just bluff right through it, you think, ‘What the hell, at least I’m helping.’ Then the paranoia comes in – ‘But I’m going to show him up!’ I was very sensitive to that.

Paul McCartney – 1986 interview – quoted in beatlesebooks.com

I think Ringo was always paranoid that he wasn’t a great drummer because he never used to solo. He hated those guys who went on and on, incessantly banging while the band goes off and has a cup of tea or something. Until Abbey Road, there was never a drum solo in The Beatles’ act, and consequently other drummers would say that although they liked his style, Ringo wasn’t technically a very good drummer. It was a bit condescending and I think we let it go too far.

I think his feel and soul and the way he was rock solid with his tempo was a great attribute. I always say if you can leave a drummer and turn your back on him, then you’re very lucky. You could just tell Ringo how it went and leave him — there was always this great noise and very steady tempo coming from behind you. Rock’n’roll is all about feel, really, and sound. So at that time, we had to reassure him that we did think he was great.

That’s what it’s like in life. You go through life and you never stop and say: ‘Hey, you know what? I think you’re great’. You don’t always tell your favourite drummer that he’s your favourite. Ringo felt insecure and he left, so we told him, ‘Look, man, you are the best drummer in the world for us.’ (I still think that.) He said ‘thank you’, and I think he was pleased to hear it. We ordered millions of flowers and there was a big celebration to welcome him back to the studio.

Paul McCartney – From “The Beatles Anthology” book, 2000

While we were recording the ‘White’ album we ended up being more of a band again, and that’s what I always love. I love being in a band. Of course, I must have moments of turmoil, because I left the group for a while that summer.

I left because I felt two things: I felt I wasn’t playing great, and I also felt that the other three were really happy and I was an outsider. I went to see John, who had been living in my apartment in Montagu Square with Yoko since he moved out of Kenwood. I said, ‘I’m leaving the group because I’m not playing well and I feel unloved and out of it, and you three are really close.’ And John said, ‘I thought it was you three!’

So then I went over to Paul’s and knocked on his door. I said the same thing: ‘I’m leaving the band. I feel you three guys are really close and I’m out of it.’ And Paul said, ‘I thought it was you three!’

I didn’t even bother going to George then. I said, ‘I’m going on holiday.’ I took the kids and we went to Sardinia.

Ringo Starr – From “The Beatles Anthology” book, 2000

Every time I went for a cup of tea, [Paul] was on the drums!

Ringo Starr – From “Postcards From The Boys” by Ringo Starr, 2004

Postcard

This is after the White Album. I thought life was hell during this period. After I walked out I kept getting these postcards — telegrams actually — from John and George: ‘Come on home! You’re the best!’ And when I did come back, George had the whole studio decorated in flowers. It was just a beautiful moment. You know, you go through those moments in your life when things are crazy. And so I left. So Paul’s just making up for lost time here. He’s a year late though!

Every time I went for a cup of tea, he was on the drums!

Ringo Starr – From “Postcards From The Boys” by Ringo Starr, 2004

Despite Ringo’s departure from the studio, the remaining Beatles chose to proceed with the recording of “Back In The U.S.S.R.“. They completed five takes of the basic track. Ken Scott, the session engineer, recalls Paul on drums, George Harrison on electric guitar, and John Lennon on bass. However, Kevin Howlett, in the book accompanying the White Album’s 50th anniversary release, states that George Harrison played the drums and Paul McCartney the guitar, citing George’s remarks about his drumming.

Take 5 was selected as the best and was further developed with overdubs the next day.

The session, which started at 7 pm, ended at 4:45 am. The last task was a copy of the mono master of “Baby, You’re A Rich Man.” This copy was taken away by George Martin, but his motivation remains unknown.

I don’t remember the incident being spoken about too much at the time, and the whole thing was treated just as a “Ringo’s not here today” kind of thing, so we just carried on as usual. We recorded the basic track of “Back in the U.S.S.R.” first with Paul playing drums, George on lead guitar, and John on bass, but there were parts of Paul’s drum track that just weren’t good enough, so we recorded a second drum track.

Ken Scott – From “Abbey Road to Ziggy Stardust“, 2012

Missing Ringo, the others all contributed to the drums heard on the final version of ‘Back In The U.S.S.R.’. Through necessity, the master take was constructed layer by layer – a process they had often adopted during sessions for Sgt. Pepper. The first parts recorded on track one of the first tape were Paul playing guitar while George hit a snare drum.

Kevin Howlett – From the book accompanying the White Album’s 50th anniversary release

Session activities

1. Back In The U.S.S.R.

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 1

2. Back In The U.S.S.R.

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 2

3. Back In The U.S.S.R.

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 3

4. Back In The U.S.S.R.

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 4

5. Back In The U.S.S.R.

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Recording • Take 5

6. Baby, You're A Rich Man

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Tape copying • Tape copying of remix mono 1

Staff

Musicians on "Back In The U.S.S.R."

Production staff

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