Elton John - Back In The USSR (Moscow, 1979)

[@bing4126]

Elton john did back in the USSR , in the USSR , bad ass.

[@alistairwalker2850]

During the reign of Brezhnev no less

[@doctordrewl6413]

This is my favorite “back in the ussr” version because of the piano tone that starts at 1:20. His piano sounds like a drum set that turns into this reverb heavy wave that not even the original can touch.

[@theprofessorfate6184]

There's only one original and its more famous than any cover, for a reason.

[@mtthwskdmr2]

This was the unique sound of the Yamaha CP-80 electric grand that Elton used on this tour. It plays like an actual piano in that it has hammers that hit strings, but underneath each string is an electric pickup similar to what a guitar has for its 6 strings, but for the CP-80 it does it for all 88 keys. This allowed it to be plugged straight into a soundboard, and not have to have microphones inside the piano, which could cause feedback. Plus it weighed a HELL of a lot less than an actual piano, making it much easier to tour with. A lot of acts used this live and in the studio (Prince and Phil Collins with Genesis). One of my favorite pianos ever.

[@alberthofmann420]

@@mtthwskdmr2 Thank you, very interesting informationes! Now thank you I will never forget and overhear :D

[@jerryseinfeld9815]

@@mtthwskdmr2 I’ve got one. I honestly will never go back to a regular grand piano because the tone of the Yamaha is so distinct and cuts through a mix so much better

[@jukebox2141]

He played Get Back in the middle of the USSR Song. Genius

[@Timliu92]

Wow Elton really killed it! Such a raw and passionate version.

[@rontennis6569]

Elton: "Ukraine boys really knock me out"

[@kimchi4712]

Lol

[@ladyelton4373]

Ukraine boys? NOT FUNNY, STUNOD!!!!! IT'S " UKRAINE GIRLS, DUMMY!!!!! DON'T MAKE FUN OF MY MAIN MAN BECAUSE HE'S GAY!!!!! 50 YEARS LONG TIME FAN HERE!!!!!

[@TrainznProgress]

Elton John: Our song

[@chrisjoya69]

I’m on this chapter in the “ME” book lol I’ve been YouTubing every big event he brings up and it’s been quite amazing finding these gems of his life. Cool stuff!

[@ladyelton4373]

Chris Joya, I hope you've become a die hard Elton fan fan like me! 50 years long time fan here!!!!! ELTOOOOOOOOOON! 🙏✌🤝👍❤

[@chrisjoya69]

@@ladyelton4373 oh yes ma’am I am!!! He’s coming to my city in November and I’m getting tickets as close as I can so I can sing him his songs! Such a Legend!!!

[@BobSullivanAKABuffy]

Exactly why I'm here now. Wonder if his bodyguard Sasha is anywhere in this footage.

[@theprofessorfate6184]

Elton and Billy can thank Paul for writing the most popular song of their live sets

[@CarCar75]

TheProfessor Fate pretty sure Elton played more popular songs than this on his live sets... all of which are his originals

[@theprofessorfate6184]

@@CarCar75 WEll, his and Bernie's. I think Back In the USSR rivals most of their songs.

[@kimchi4712]

Lennon was his close friend

[@siwabandana1580]

He did *"I went to [country] just to play [song]"* before it was cool

[@Joker_DC.]

Бурные продолжительные аплодисменты товарищу Элтону Джону 👏👏👏

[@user-vd5tw8wr6n]

I like he suddenly stands as he finished his last chord.

[@Guih_Medrado]

I LOVE THIS SHOW OMG!!!@

[@samuelrivas7233]

I wish I could've been there

[@sebastianlovinger3883]

I love this so much thank you for sharing this. I love to see Russia loved him even though he was gay. That means a lot.💜🇷🇺💜

[@user-bx3rl1jj8q]

We love his music and performance. :) gay or not... doesn't matter. He is talented man.

[@mmmmd1qc]

В то время музыку слушали, а не интересовались подобными вещами.

[@fotioskatsoulis99]

One of the first western artists to perform during the communist era. Back then there wasn’t a McDonald’s

[@ruben_zermeno]

I'm glad to know that the USSR goverment despite that being an isolate country, because of their communist system, they opened their doors to people from other nationalities, no matter if they were from communist or capitalist countries, to bring entertainment and even happiness to the Soviet people. At least with the song "Back in the USSR", which is a song made by a british and capitalist band, but it's a great song talking about beautiful things about the USSR, and nothing to do with politics or propaganda themes.

[@enta2]

Elton John was invited privately by a KGB employee and normal people didn't even know that he was in russia. his concert was never shown on television and no albums were sold.

[@alberthofmann420]

@@enta2 but then how does it come such huge number of people travelled to moscow?

[@enta2]

@@alberthofmann420 yes, they came but the media blocked them. so nobody knew anything about it. there was no internet and video phones until the end of the 90s. elton first became known here in the 90s as a gay who sang blue eyes and sacrifice on MTV when he was young :d

[@Henrique-iy2lk]

@@alberthofmann420 those are all russians, mostly from Moscow itself

[@sylph8005]

Not quite capitalist. John had some lefter sympathies, though he never quite committed to anything. They certainly made lots of money though

[@pinoapina2212]

Элтон! Назад в СССР!😊

[@slimymotherflipper]

Elton always makes covers sound soooo much better then the original 😂✨💕

[@littleQuinten]

Let's not overreact 😂😜

[@jdenino6022]

@@littleQuinten I would've loved to hear The Beatles play "Back in the USSR" in the Soviet Union back in the day. 😂

[@jdenino6022]

Yoko broke up The Beatles. 😢

[@BobSullivanAKABuffy]

Reading the book ME right now and this is right where I am...Elton coming to Russia. Wonder if we spot Sasha in there somewhere.

[@fanaticaldueling6337]

Much better than Billy Joels rendition

[@joshfromjuniorstudios]

Fanatical Dueling I like Elton but Billy Joel’s was a lot more rocking than this was, but you have your opinion and I respect that

[@benniemoralli6451]

Lmaoooo

[@ladyelton4373]

Fanatical Dueling, Of course it's better thsn Billy's version, as it's ELTON singing !!!! Need I say more? 🙏✌🤝👍❤

[@slimymotherflipper]

I just played this on my phone and made it play on the TV in my living room from my phone and it confused the shit outta my family 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@aylennaholland332]

The video also shows St. Petersburg (then known as Leningrad)

[@ladyelton4373]

Aylenna Holland, That's where Vladimir was born!!!! 🙏✌🤝👍❤

[@sdeb82]

That man took it to church - good lord!!

[@krystianklimek7071]

Please Russia with Elton :)

[@arthursquest]

Note bottle of vodka on piano ... Downy Jr. recovery stuff ... well done guys.

[@alexsawman2119]

01:57 водяра чистоганом?

[@user-yn9xv9un1w]

Видимо да, потому что Элтон сейчас часто кается, что в 70-е выходил на сцену пьяным и под наркотой. Не думаю, что Госконцерт мог запретить ему пить на выступлениях, раз не смог запретить петь эту песню. В 1976-ом, в Эдинбурге он, кстати, тоже пил на сцене водку из графина, только с томатным соком.

[@user-bx3rl1jj8q]

@@user-yn9xv9un1w Россия и без водки :) пффф. Красавчик Элтон. Не важно пил или не пил, на качестве его перформансов это не отражалось) язык не заплетался

[@koenderbb5191]

"ЭГТФИ! ЭГТФИ!"

[@ThatGuy-dp5ni]

Elton was really good but I think the Beatles were better

[@germandudehanz]

I think elton did it first

[@ladyelton4373]

No! Beatles!!!! Lennon and Mac Cartney wrote it; it's on the WHITE ALBUM!!!! 🙏✌🤝👍❤

[@farandulatorfix]

Get back

[@ospreybird]

:-)

[@D95RO]

It's not USSR! It's URSS!

[@ladyelton4373]

THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION!!!! 🙏✌🤝👍❤

[@elliottprats1910]

The top song playing in Ukraine right now.

[@user-yn9xv9un1w]

For me it has always been a song of liberation. He was forbidden to sing it, but he did it anyway. No one here knew that Putin was such a cunt. We were held hostage by him, he introduced military censorship and liquidated independent media in a week. But even now this song for me is about the fact that liberation from dense and half-dead politicians is inevitable.

[@rigaudien]

"Well the Ukraine girls really knock me out, they leave RUSSIA behind"

[@ladyelton4373]

Let's leave politics out of it and let's ALL just enjoy the music!!!!! Da?