On Saturday night, Sir Paul McCartney kicked off the UK leg of his Got Back Tour at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena, where the singer left fans with an ultimate surprise when performing ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ to usher in the festive season.
‘Wonderful Christmastime’ was released by McCartney in November 1979, following the release of Wings’ final album ‘Back to the Egg’, in June of 1979. The track has become a marmite of Christmas songs throughout the years, peaking at number 6 on the UK Singles Chart while failing to make it into the Billboard’s Hot 100. Whether you love it or hate it, the track is undeniably catchy. Even as the single commences with its synth instrumental layered with sporadic jingle bells, listeners are hooked into the track from its very first second. The repetition of “simply having a wonderful christmastime” alongside the track’s enticingly infectious instrumentation creates an effective soundtrack to the festive season. McCartney’s take on a jolly and lively Christmas track provided a stark contrast to the festive track released by his former bandmate, John Lennon, eight years prior with ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’, which was released as a protest song against the Vietnam War, with a vital message of hope and peace. Both tracks show the versatility available in festive tracks to subliminally portray an important message.
After all, McCartney has been touring his current Got Back Tour since April 2022, where this recent show in Manchester marked the ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’ singer’s first time performing on home soil since his headline slot during Glastonbury 2022. Despite this, the Beatle legend did not disappoint with Saturday night’s setlist, which saw him perform an array of songs from his vast catalogue including Wings and solo material, Beatles classics, whilst honouring his late bandmates.
However, fans stood stunned when they heard the beginning instrumental to ‘Wonderful Christmastime’, a live performance so rare you could probably count how many times it’s occurred on one hand. McCartney was joined on stage by a local children’s choir and brass section to create the perfect ambience for the highly anticipated performance of the Christmas classic. As fake snow fell during the performance, the mood was right and spirits were up, as McCartney welcomed in the festive season for his fans.
As the past week has seen ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ climb the charts and re-enter the Top 40, perhaps battling for a place as Christmas Number 1, McCartney will embark on the final stages of his Got Back Tour, performing two final sold-out shows at London’s O2 Arena on December 18 and 19. Christmas is coming and McCartney’s at the forefront was this latest memorable performance.
