Piano chords · Rock drive
How to play Back In The U.S.S.R. on piano
By The Beatles
- C major
- 4/4
- 142 BPM
- 1968
- Medium
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn Back In The U.S.S.R. in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A – D – C – D
How it goes
Back In The U.S.S.R. sits in C major: C is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A is A, C# and E; D is D, F# and A; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
AVIDIICIDII- AA · C# · E
- DD · F# · A
- CC · E · G
- 2
Left hand: Engine 8ths
How it goes
The lowest note on every eighth: the engine of rock. Musicians call it root bass · 8ths (root bass rhythm), a medium pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Pumping chords
How it goes
A chord on every eighth note, driving the song forward. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 142 BPM
How it goes
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
- 5
Ending: F – G – C
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
FGC- FF · A · C
- GG · B · D
Play next
Questions about Back In The U.S.S.R.
What chords are in Back In The U.S.S.R.?
The loop is A – D – C – D (VI – II – I – II) in C major, and the song ends on F – G – C.
What key is Back In The U.S.S.R. in?
C major, at about 142 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Back In The U.S.S.R.?
Engine 8ths: root bass · 8ths, a medium pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Back In The U.S.S.R. easy to play on piano?
It is a medium one: learn the 4 chords as blocks first, then add the left hand, then the right, slowly.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.