CHOBA B CCCP

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

CHOBA B CCCP
CHOBA B CCCP cover
Studio album by Paul McCartney
Released 31 October 1988 (USSR)
30 September 1991 (Worldwide)
Recorded 20 & 21 July 1987
Genre Rock & Roll
Length 47:54 (USSR)
50:54 (Worldwide)
Label Melodiya (USSR)
Parlophone/EMI (Worldwide)
Producer(s) Paul McCartney
Professional reviews
Paul McCartney chronology
All the Best!
(1987)
CHOBA B CCCP
(1988)
Flowers in the Dirt
(1989)


CHOBA B CCCP (English: Back in the USSR or The Russian Album) is an album of rock 'n' roll oldies by Paul McCartney originally released in 1988 exclusively in the USSR. With the addition of an extra track, the album would see international release in 1991.

Following the tepid reaction to 1986's Press to Play, McCartney spent much of the first half of 1987 plotting his next album. In July, he got the urge to get back to his roots by singing some of his favorite hits from the 1950s and over the course of two days, with three other session musicians, McCartney recorded sixteen songs, thirteen of which would be chosen for the eventual album release in the USSR the following year.

The original Russian cover for CHOBA B CCCP, 1988
The original Russian cover for CHOBA B CCCP, 1988

The title CHOBA B CCCP translates from Russian to English as "Back in the USSR" - a famous McCartney song from The Beatles' 1968 double album The Beatles. The title is often taken as if written in Roman letters (i.e. CHOBA B CCCP), but they are actually Cyrillic letters and transliterate as Snova v SSSR. The Russian pronunciation is roughly "snova vess-ess-ess-air".

During the recording sessions 16 songs were recorded, but only 14 were put on the album. The two songs not used were I Saw Her Standing There (the Beatles song) and It's Now or Never. The latter would eventually be released on the New Musical Express double-LP/CD "The Last Temptation Of Elvis" in England in February of 1990.

The Russian album includes liner notes all in Russian, from original text by Roy Carr of the New Musical Express.

The cover of the album was designed by Linda McCartney: Paul's photograph in a red star, the USSR's symbol.

In 1991, CHOBA B CCCP was given a worldwide release, with the addition of "I'm In Love Again", which was first released in 1989 as one of the B-sides of "This One". As an archival release, it reached #63 in the UK and #109 in the US. Curiously, the title is misprinted on this release.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Kansas City" (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller) – 4:02
  2. "Twenty Flight Rock" (Eddie Cochran/Ned Fairchild) – 3:03
  3. "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" (Lloyd Price) – 3:17
  4. "I’m In Love Again" (Fats Domino/Dave Bartholomew) – 2:58
    • Bonus track on 1991 international release
  5. "Bring It On Home To Me" (Sam Cooke) – 3:14
  6. "Lucille" (Richard Penniman/Albert Collins) – 3:13
  7. "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" (Duke Ellington/Bob Russell) – 2:51
  8. "I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Some Day" (Fats Domino/Dave Bartholomew/Roy Hayes) – 4:12
  9. "That's All Right Mama" (Arthur Crudup) – 3:47
  10. "Summertime" (George Gershwin) – 4:57
  11. "Ain't That A Shame" (Fats Domino/Dave Bartholomew) – 3:43
  12. "Crackin' Up" (Ellas McDaniel) – 3:55
  13. "Just Because" (Bob Shelton/Joe Shelton/Sydney Robin) – 3:34
  14. "Midnight Special" (Trad. Arr. Paul McCartney) – 3:59

[edit] Personnel

  1. Paul McCartney: Bass guitar, guitars, vocals.
  2. Mick Green: Guitar.
  3. Nick Garvey: Bass guitar, backing vocals.
  4. Chris Whitten: Bass guitar.
  5. Mick Gallagher: Keyboards, piano.
  6. Henry Spinetti: Drums and percussion.

[edit] External links


In other languages