Wonderful Christmastime



"Wonderful Christmastime" is a 1979 Christmas song by Paul McCartney. It enjoys significant Christmas time popularity around the world. The song was later added as a bonus track on the 1993 CD reissue of Wings' Back to the Egg album.

The track was subsequently added as a bonus track to the 2011 reissue of the McCartney II album, with both full and edited versions included. The track was also mixed in 5.1 surround sound for inclusion on the 2007 DVD release The McCartney Years.

Background and recording
McCartney recorded the song entirely on his own during the sessions for his solo project McCartney II. Although the members of Wings are not on the recording, they do appear in the promotional music video, which was filmed at the Fountain Inn in Ashurst, West Sussex. It also includes footage filmed at the Hippodrome Theatre in Eastbourne, where McCartney rehearsed his 1979 UK tour.

"Wonderful Christmastime" can be heard in the 1998 animated film Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie during Santa's takeoff on Christmas Eve. Wings performed the song during their 1979 tour of the UK.

Reception and legacy
Following its release as a stand-alone single in the United Kingdom, "Wonderful Christmastime" peaked at No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart the week ending 5 January 1980. In the United States the single peaked at No. 83 on the Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart and No. 94 on the Record World Singles Chart, but did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100.

In December 1984, the single appeared at No. 10 for two weeks on Billboard's Christmas singles chart. It also reached No. 29 on Billboard ' s weekly Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart in early January 1996.

The song continues to receive substantial annual festive airplay, although some music critics consider "Wonderful Christmastime" to be one of McCartney's mediocre compositions. Beatles author Robert Rodriguez has written of "Wonderful Christmastime": "Love it or hate it, few songs within the McCartney oeuvre have provoked such strong reactions."

Including royalties from cover versions, it is estimated that McCartney makes $400,000 a year from this song, which puts its cumulative earnings at near $15 million.

Personnel

 * Paul McCartney - vocals, keyboards, synthesizer, guitar, drums, percussion

Kylie Minogue version
Australian singer Kylie Minogue and British singer-songwriter Mika covered the song for Minogue's reissue Kylie Christmas: Snow Queen Edition (2016). The song was released as album's second single on 9 December 2016 by Parlophone.

The song was performed on 6 December 2016 by Minogue and Mika on Italian programme Stasera Casa Mika.

Other notable versions

 * 2000: Martin Sheen, John Spencer and Stockard Channing (of the cast of TV series The West Wing) on the album NBC Celebrity Christmas
 * 2004: Barenaked Ladies included a short synthesized instrumental of the song on the album Barenaked for the Holidays
 * 2002: Jump5 remixed the song for the album All the Joy in the World
 * 2000: Earthsuit on Happy Christmas Vol. 3
 * 2002: Hilary Duff on her album Santa Claus Lane
 * 2004: Tom Mcrae on a various artists album titled Maybe This Christmas Tree
 * 2007: Jars of Clay on the release, Christmas Songs
 * 2008: Demi Lovato on the All Wrapped Up album
 * 2009: Family Force 5 on the album Family Force 5 Christmas Pageant
 * 1999: Amy Grant for her TV special A Christmas to Remember, on: CBS
 * 2008: Rahsaan Patterson on his album The Ultimate Gift
 * 2008: Helix on the album A Heavy Mental Christmas
 * 2008: Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer (The Venture Bros. co-creators) performed as the characters 21 and 24, for the website Quick Stop Entertainment
 * 2010: Kelly Rowland on the release Now That's What I Call Christmas! 4
 * 2011: Chicago featured Dolly Parton on the album Chicago XXXIII: O Christmas Three
 * 2011: Eli Young Band on the compilation The Country Christmas Collection, peaking at No. 33 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in January 2012
 * 2012: The Shins for the Starbucks album, Holidays Rule
 * 2012: Eleventyseven in a synthpop style for the Regifted EP
 * 2013: Paul McCartney with the: a cappella group Straight No Chaser on their EP, Under the Influence: Holiday Edition
 * 2016: Jimmy Buffett on his album 'Tis The SeaSon
 * 2016: Paul McCartney did yet another Acapella arrangement with The Roots, Jimmy Fallon, and the cast of Sing