Back in the USSR

[telecast]

Ok, tough guys. Let's see your interpretation of the bridge.

For the record, doing a Tab search will result in almost TEN different versions of the same line! It's very diffcult to hear clearly, and there is definitely a descending bass line. The first two lines aren't at issue, it's the second half of the bridge. I've always played it like this:

.........D
Those Ukraine girls really knock me out

........A
They leave the west behind

.......D.........F#m.............Bm........Am
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout
.......B7........................................E 7............................A
And Georgia's always on my-my-my-my-my-my-my-my-my mind

One very popular web interpretation uses D, D/C#, D/C, D/B in place of my F#m, Bm, and Am. That would follow the descending bass line, but I'm not convinced it's correct.

[Gravity Jim]

The record is two flights up, but I'm hearing it like this:

D D/C# C C/B
(and) Moscow girls make me sing and shout

E7 D7 A
That Georgia's always on my-my-my-my-my-my-my-my-my mind

That descending line is two note power chords, starting with the D on the fifth fret (just the D and the A above, that is).

[telecast]

Ok, that makes 11!

I'm going to print out whatever I get and mess with it tonight, so keep 'em coming!

[telecast]

No one else, eh?

[Wilko]

I think GJ has it right. I'm away from instruments, but I hear it that way. Also the V-IV turnaround not the II-V that you have.

[mkg]

Essentially like GJ, but I descend with power chords from the 10th fret like so:

10 12 xxxx 9 11 xxxx 8 10 xxxx 7 9 xxxx
Moscow girls make me sing and shout

x 7 6 7 5 x x 5 4 5 3 x
that Georgia's etc.

[Plugger]

I also think GJ is essentialy right (at least close to what I've always played).

Only thing I'd add is the interplay between the shuffle and non-shuffle rhythm guitar style.

The descending bass line isn't played by the rhythm guitar, AFAIK -- that's McCartney's job. Rhythm guitar just plays (shuffle) D throughout that bit.

Anyway, this is what I've always done...

.........D (5/6 shuffle)
Those Ukraine girls really knock me out

........A (5/6/7 shuffle).......Bb B C
They leave the west behind

.......D (5/6 shuffle)..................................
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout
.......E7........................................D 7............................A (5/6/7 shuffle)
And Georgia's always on my-my-my-my-my-my-my-my-my mind

D7 Eb7 E7 (12 bar resolution)

-Mark

[telecast]

Well, the results are in. This is where I arrived, and it's extremely close.

In listening to this, the power chords sound right because of that descending bass line, but it's not what the guitar is doing. If you take a hard listen, you'll hear this:

.........D
Those Ukraine girls really knock me out

........A
They leave the west behind

.......D.........C#m.............Am........
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout

.......E7........................................D 7............................A
And Georgia's always on my-my-my-my-my-my-my-my-my mind

So, that's what I'm playing, unless I change my mind later.....

Seriously, sit down with it and you'll hear these changes.

[Offshore Angler]

Decoding Beatles guitar chords is pointless. So much was added post that to this day, nobody has ever been able to play the opening chord to "Hard Day's Night."

George Martin was always overdubbing piano notes into the guitar chords, and I would imagine the boogie-woogie stuff in the chorus has some in there as well. It's like trying to play an orchestra's chord on a guitar. I'd just go with whatever works.

[telecast]

Yeah, but I'm anal.

I like to get it as close as possible.

[Wilko]

close as possible is probably as described here by GJ.

Guitar is very sparse (if at all) in that section. There certainly no Am chord happening there. One could be played there, but it wouldn't be right. It's closely related (relative minor) of the C chord that is in the arrangement as played. An odd stacking of notes happens with that.

What I'm hearing of "guitar" through that section is a very dark muddy tone of simple rock chords being hit on "1 and" and "3 and" That combined with the descending bassline is a very McArtney thing to do. Many of his songs will alternate between the guitars/piano carrying the chord movements and the bass guitar carrying the chord movements. In this bridge, trhe bass carries the chord movement and the guitar/piano fill out the mids.

[Phil M]

Wilko (or others), how do you play this one live? I'm supposed to learn a version of it that's from McCartney's more recent live stuff with Rusty Anderson by tomorrow and could use a head start. I will sit down with it tonight but every little bit helps. Those tab sites do more harm than good (IMO).

Thanks.

[Wilko]

These song are so ingrained the public's minds that you could just play the chords from and ol' website and it'll be just great.

Personally, I just keep it simple. Play the guitar with "chunka chunka" chords and let the bass do the descending line. %, 4 turnaround and voila. Real easy. If I'm feeling rowdy I might play the descending run without chords.

Basically, it doesn't matter.

Usaully it's one of them moments where you'll see mucicians look at each other and sorta laugh as they see how the other guy is going to do it. I can just see a bassist and guitarist playing that line together and exaggerating it for effect.

It's all good. And good showmanship.

Do what's fun. It's music.

[Bluestar]

Decoding Beatles guitar chords is pointless. So much was added post that to this day, nobody has ever been able to play the opening chord to "Hard Day's Night."

George Martin was always overdubbing piano notes into the guitar chords, and I would imagine the boogie-woogie stuff in the chorus has some in there as well. It's like trying to play an orchestra's chord on a guitar. I'd just go with whatever works.

Mini hijack - FWIW, I read a column from a guitar mag a few years back, and the issue discussed was exactly that - what was the opening chord to A Hard Day's Night? - well, by way of summary, a music professor had the chord analyzed by a sound decoding computer, which determined that the "chord" was a subtle mix of several guitars and a piano. If anyone is really interested, I could probably dig the column up - I'm pretty sure I kept it because it was a definitive response to a recurring musical question.

Back on topic - funny, it seems both Gravity Jim and telecast's versions could be right.

[Mikey]

You know, you might be chasing after something that can't exists in a live situation.
They could have slowed down the tape and then sped it up again before settling on things.
they were known for doing that sort of stuff.
What d'ya think?

[guitars247]

i have a hal leonard book at home (complete beatles, all 218 songs transcribed for bass, vocals, guitar, drum, everything) I will see what it has in it tonight and post tomorrow

it has been pretty accurate for the most part as far as I can tell

[mkg]

Phil, I've found the way I posted above to be the most effective in a live situation.
Use descending power chords on the bottom two strings from D down to B then hit the E7 and D7 as shown.
Sounds pretty damn close to what's happening on the record.

[Wilko]

I just went and watched the McArtney DVD froma couple years back.

The guitars are way down on that part. They lay back and just play a D chord while Paul leads with his bass line. Most chording is done via good old fashion Barre chords at the Fifth position. If the guitars follow the descending line it can get a bit heavy.

[Phil M]

I just went and watched the McArtney DVD froma couple years back.

The guitars are way down on that part. They lay back and just play a D chord while Paul leads with his bass line. Most chording is done via good old fashion Barre chords at the Fifth position. If the guitars follow the descending line it can get a bit heavy.

I think this is the version we are going to try and play (was this the one from Russia?)

[chuckocaster]

i'll play, singing the melody i think it does a V of V (B7), goes to V, then to IV, then I

.........D
Those Ukraine girls really knock me out

........A
They leave the west behind

.......D...............................B7........
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout

.......E7........................................D 7............................A
And Georgia's always on my-my-my-my-my-my-my-my-my mind

sorry about quoting you buddy, i was too lazy to retype it all.

[telecast]

Did it like Wilko said, just staying on the D. It works, but it sounds thin. This is probably just a matter of getting used to it.

It sure the hell is easier to play!

[chuckocaster]

try the B, i put a B7 in there, but that's just me (i think the 7 adds a nice colr to the chord). i checked it on friday in my friend's beatle transcription book, they are playing a B.

[Wilko]

Did it like Wilko said, just staying on the D. It works, but it sounds thin. This is probably just a matter of getting used to it.

It sure the hell is easier to play!

If your bassplayer is doing his/her job, it should sound great. The chord stacking is fatter than everybody playing the same notes.

If you are playing solo, you need to play that descending run under that chord.