Paul McCartney's WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME - Things You Didn't Know! Behind The Christmas Hits

You’d be hard pressed to find a Christmas song that’s been written about as much as this one, yet at the same time, little is actually known about it’s origins or how the artist even feels about it. We’re talking about Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmastime.

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Paul was the third Beatle to record a Holiday song. John Lennon was first with Happy X-Mas, George Harrison was second with his 1974 original Ding Dong Ding Dong.

Recorded in August 1979 for his solo album McCartney II, it became Paul’s first solo single since his band Wings was formed.

Wings hit the road for their final tour together that fall and even played Wonderful Christmastime during some of the later shows on that tour. None of the band members play on the recording of the song, but they are in the video that was filmed at the Fountain Inn in Ashurst, New Sussex.
Over the years, people have tried to make the argument that it’s actually the worst Christmas song.

In 2014, USA Today ran a piece saying McCartney’s efforts on the song were “akin to being the writer of an Adam Sandler movie.” Conversely, a quick Google search will yield you a bunch of results from people now writing defence pieces on the song.

Paul wrote Wonderful Christmastime himself and played all the instruments on the recording. Keyboards, synthesizers, guitar, bass, drums, percussion…oh…and he produced it, too. As a result, he receives royalties as a performer and a songwriter…and doesn’t have to share them with anyone. Forbes estimates the song nets McCartney between four and five hundred thousand dollars every year.

That plays into the speculation that McCartney was motivated to do the song all by himself because of his horrible financial experience with EMI Records.

So…with all this talk…what does McCartney think? Did he write it in 10 minutes? What was he thinking at the time? How does he feel about it now? It’s hard to tell. There are old comments about how he’s embarrassed by the song, yet, he still plays it live.

Harry Styles loves the song – he’s performed it live in concert numerous times including during an appearance on BBC1’s Live Lounge.

So…is Paul truly embarrassed by it…or is it more rock and roll to say you are…but then laugh all the way to the bank every December?

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John Lennon Happy Christmas (War is Over): EMI/Apple
George Harrison Ding Dong Ding Dong: Apple
McCartney II: Parlophone/Columbia
Wonderful Christmastime: 1979 MPL Communications Ltd, under exclusive license to Universal Music Enterprises, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

With Research from:
In defense of Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime"
By ANNIE ZALESKI DECEMBER 12, 2016 https://www.salon.com/2016/12/11/in-defense-of-paul-mccartneys-wonderful-christmastime/ and https://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/12/christmas-songs-beatles-mccartney-lennon-wonderful-christmastime-happy-xmas
Three Reasons Why Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmas Time" Is Way Better Than You Think It Is By Andrew Winistorfer: https://www.vice.com/en/article/6aepp6/three-reasons-why-paul-mccartneys-wonderful-christmas-time-is-way-better-thank-you-think-it-is