The working titles of this film were Russia and Scorched Earth, the latter of which also was the title of Guy Endore, Victor Trivas and Leo Mittler's screen story. Actor Konstantin Shayne's name is misspelled "Konstantine" in the onscreen credits. M-G-M reportedly canvassed radio stations and concert halls to determine which Tchaikovsky (spelled "Tschaikowsky" in the credits) works were the most popular. Excerpts from works by "modern Russian composers," as they are listed in the onscreen credits, are also heard, including "La Grand Paque Russe" by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov. A Russian version of the popular song "The Music Goes Round and Round" is performed in part in the film. Although HR announced that Ralina Zarova, who is listed in the CBCS as a gypsy fortune-teller, was to sing a "number of Soviet melodies" in the picture, she did not perform any songs.
       M-G-M publicity material and HR news items add the following information about the production: Prior to the involvement of credited writers Paul Jarrico and Richard Collins, Ann Louise Strong, David Hertz, Guy Trosper and Michael Blankfort worked on the film's screenplay; their contributions to the completed film, if any, have not been confirmed. Many actresses were considered for the role of "Nadya," including Kathryn Grayson, Hedy Lamarr, Barbara Pearson, Signe Hasso and Donna Reed. In Nov 1942, HR reported that Greta Garbo was "a cinch" to star. Walter Pidgeon was first announced as the male lead, and Margaret O'Brien was originally cast as "Stesha." In Jul 1942, HR announced that producer Joe Pasternak was negotiating with Arturo Toscanini to conduct Dmitri Shostakovitch's Seventh Symphony in the film.
       Although Keenan Wynn was announced as a cast member, he was not seen in the viewed print. Director Gregory Ratoff was reportedly training with Eddie Norton to play a bit role as a fighter and was also to dance a "gezotski" in the film, but his onscreen appearance has not been confirmed. Helen Wey tested for a part in Dec 1942, Elliott Sullivan tested for the role of "Gen. Philip Golikov" in Feb 1943, and Jean Rogers tested for a "featured part" in Mar 1943, but it has not been determined whether any of these actors appeared in the final film. Vladimir Sokoloff replaced Morris Ankrum in the role of "Meschkov" in Apr 1943. Natalie Nikitin, who plays the mayor's wife in the film, was a well-known Russian soprano. Although a HR news item announced that the Trianon Trio, former vaudevillians, were to revive their "old act for the camera," their appearance in the completed film has not been confirmed. Michael Chekov and conductor Albert Coates, who appears with the Moscow Conservatory Orchestra playing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, made their screen debuts in the picture. Pianist Ignace Hilsberg recorded music for the film, but it is not known if his performance is heard in the completed film. The following actors were announced as cast members: Margarita de Guirola, Anna Gogol, Harry Hayden, Isabel Randolph, Billy Roy, Gonzales Moniz, Helena Benda, Naomi Scher, Circe Graham and John Bleifer. The participation of these actors in the completed film has not been confirmed, however.
       In late Mar 1943, Marvin Stuart replaced Roland Asher as assistant director when Asher left to join the RAF. Although a snow battle sequence was filmed in the Sierra Mountains in late Mar 1943, no winter-time scenes were included in the final film. Ratoff reportedly designed white military suits for the scene, and ski experts Eric Lundquist and Nils Larsen were hired to portray skiing Polish soldiers. The crop burning scenes were filmed next to the Rancho Park golf course near Cheviot Hills in Los Angeles. Carmel, CA, was scouted as a possible location in Dec 1942, but it is not known if any scenes were actually shot there. On 29 Jun 1943, Ratoff collapsed on the set and Laslo Benedek took over direction for the remainder of principal photography. It is not known who directed the Sep 1943 retakes. George Boemler was initially listed as the film's editor in HR news items and production charts, but apparently was replaced by credited editor George Hively.
       HR news items noted that M-G-M rushed to begin production on the film, fearing competition from other studios that were preparing their own "Russian" World War II stories, perhaps in response to the OWI's "United Nations" or "Brothers in Arms" film campaign. According to HR, the Soviet government, while anxious to support the production of Russian-themed pictures in Hollywood, pressured the studios to strive for authenticity and accuracy in their depiction of Soviet life. The government also threatened to withhold stock footage, backgrounds and research material in the event of any "White or Anti-Soviet Russian" involvement. In Oct 1942, Ratoff met with the Soviet ambassador in Washington, D.C. to discuss the project. Subsequently, the Russian embassy contributed official Red Army newsreels and Soviet documentaries for use in the film. In late May 1943, in response to complaints from "Washington" that the story was too pro-Stalinist, production shut down for two weeks while the script was overhauled. Writer Boris Ingster was reportedly doing a "polish" job on the film at that time.
       Although United Artists released its "Russian" picture, Three Russian Girls, in Jan 1944, M-G-M touted Song of Russia as the first "A" picture to dramatize the German invasion of Russia. Noting that "this is one of the first criticisms of an American picture ever to come out of Russia," MPH reprinted a Nov 1944 critique of the picture by Soviet composer Aram Khachaturian. While Khachaturian described the film as "an amazingly daring and praiseworthy piece of work" and applauded Taylor's and Susan Peter's realistic performances, he criticized the "scenes of the tractor ploughing where...both the director and the actress forgot that driving a tractor is hard work." He also questioned some of the music track editing and the absence of modern Russian songs in the score.
       Song of Russia was Robert Taylor's last film before entering the Navy. His next screen appearance was in the 1946 M-G-M picture Undercurrent. On 14 May 1947, three years after the film's release, Taylor appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee as a "friendly witness" and testified that in 1943, an official from the War Production Board came to Los Angeles and, during a meeting with Taylor and M-G-M head Louis B. Mayer, threatened to thwart Taylor's navy commission unless he played in Song of Russia. Although the War Production Board initially denied any involvement in the matter, the above-mentioned official was later identified as Lowell Mellett, the head of the motion picture division of the OWI. Taylor considered the film to be, in his words, "distastefully Communistic" and described it to HUAC as "favoring Russian ideologies, institutions and ways of life over the same things" in America. Mayer, a noted conservative, responded in print to Taylor's testimony by pointing out that the "picture contains no Russian ideology" and that while "it is true, of course, that Russia was our ally in 1943, and that our government was very friendly to the Soviets" that was "not why Song of Russia was made."