Paul McCartney Delivers Rare Live Rendition of ‘Wonderful Christmastime’

Paul McCartney brought a little extra holiday cheer to Manchester over the weekend with a rare performance of his beloved seasonal hit, “Wonderful Christmastime.”

Fans at the Co-Op Live arena on Saturday (Dec. 14) were treated to the festive surprise during McCartney’s ongoing Got Back tour—a moment that hasn’t been seen live in six years.

The 82-year-old music legend was joined by children from the You Should Be Dancing Theatre Academy, transforming the arena into a winter wonderland. This performance was particularly special, as McCartney has only played “Wonderful Christmastime” live about a dozen times throughout his extensive solo career.

The last time fans were treated to a live version was back in 2018 during a series of December shows in England and before that, it was during a December 2016 performance on The Tonight Show.

Originally released in 1979 as a standalone single, “Wonderful Christmastime” has become a staple of holiday playlists worldwide. The song was later included as a bonus track on some editions of the rock icon’s McCartney II album.

The Manchester show was a highlight of McCartney’s current tour, which showcases his vast catalog spanning his time with The Beatles, Wings, and his solo career. Fans were treated to a mix of deep cuts and iconic hits like “Hey Jude” and “Band on the Run,” in a hit-filled three-hour set.

The early Beatles tunes that peppered the first hour of the set included a souped-up “Drive My Car” and the Motown-inspired “Got to Get You into My Life.”

Last week, “Wonderful Christmastime” reappeared on the Rock Streaming Songs chart at No. 15. It has previously flown to the runner-up rung in the 47 weeks it’s spent on the list of the most-streamed rock tunes in the country. The song reached a new peak position of No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending January 6, 2024, so time will tell if McCartney will beat his own record this time around.

You can check out the music legend’s live performance of “Wonderful Christmastime” here.