In Defense of Paul McCartney’s ‘Wonderful Christmastime’

Out of all the songs written by the members of the Beatles following their 1970 breakup, Paul McCartney‘s “Wonderful Christmastime” is often considered one of the most controversial, not for its subject matter, but for its artistic worth.

At best, it’s thought of as a mediocre release from someone who clearly possesses an extraordinary amount of talent, and at worst, as an intolerable number and an affront to Christmas itself.

The latter is an inaccurate and callow perspective to hold. To be clear: “Wonderful Christmastime” is by no means one of McCartney’s most profound works, but the criticism it has garnered in the decades since its 1979 release is frankly unjustified and downright silly.

Perhaps it’s best to start there, with the word “silly.” A significant strength of McCartney’s is in writing songs that appeal to the whimsical and quirky. Yes, he wrote tender-hearted things like “Yesterday,” “Hey Jude” and “Maybe I’m Amazed.” He also wrote “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” “When I’m 64” and “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey.”

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“Wonderful Christmastime” comes from a similar artistic vein, which is to say: it’s supposed to be fun. It’s perfectly understandable for people, in the year 2024 especially, to have a difficult time embracing the concept of uninhibited joy for its own sake, but “Wonderful Christmastime” is best enjoyed when one sheds their hard external layer for a more spontaneous one.

In other words: lighten up.

To Each Their Own

This isn’t to say that there’s not an argument to be made against the song’s…eclectic, borderline annoying arrangement. This writer once saw a social media post stating something to the effect of: “Wonderful Christmastime” sounds like McCartney walked into the studio, pressed every single button on the synthesizer he could reach and left it at that. But if you’re asking this writer — and technically you are, since you’re reading an opinion piece written by her — there is usually more fun to be had in eccentricity than in tradition. Not to pit Beatles against one another, but this writer is also a through and through John Lennon fan and still cannot seem to sit through the entirety of “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).” Well-intentioned as it is, I do not want to be preached to during the holidays — they’re stuffy and conformist enough as it is.

If anything, “Wonderful Christmastime” is a representation of the things that make the holiday season bearable and worth participating in: surprise, wonder, togetherness, nostalgia, fantasy and just a dash of mayhem and corniness.

“I think structure’s great. But I also like to start with chaos in order to get the freedom,” McCartney once said of his songwriting approach. “You know, if you structure too early it’s like [makes hitting the breaks noise]. But if you’re just creating, just free and flowing from chord to chord and idea to idea, something then sort of lands that you think is a good idea.”

Listen to Paul McCartney’s ‘Wonderful Christmastime’

There is usually an emphasis in holiday music — and Christmas songs in particular — on ritual, heritage and habit. There is undeniable value in these things, but there ought to be more room for the “just creating” part.

And in case you wondered if McCartney has regrets about “Wonderful Christmastime,” he doesn’t and nor should he.

“I like the idea of Christmas songs purely because they only come around at Christmas,” he told The Paul McCartney Project in 2022. “They remind us of the fun atmosphere of the whole season, and when I was writing ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ I was trying to capture that party aspect. I did hope it would keep coming back – which it has. Sometimes people will go into a shop and hear it a little too much, but I don’t care! I’m happy!”

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