I hope all of you are having a wonderful Christmas Eve. I looked back and I’ve never posted this song before. It’s never been my favorite Christmas song but it has grown on me through the years.
This song was recorded during the sessions for the McCartney II album which featured Coming Up. Paul went to his farm and laid down all the tracks himself. He was experimenting with an early synthesizer called a Sequential Circuits Prophet-5, which was also used on Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes” and the Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes.”
Released as a single, it peaked at #6 in the UK, #39 in Canada, and #28 in the Billboard 100 in 1979. It took him just ten minutes to write the song.
Although the members of Wings do not feature on the song, they do appear in the song’s music video, which was filmed at the Fountain Inn in Ashurst, West Sussex. McCartney recalled to NME in 2012… “We went out to some pub somewhere, and so that was a laugh… we just run out of the pub occasionally, filmed a bit, and then went back into the pub. So that was quite a nice evening!”
Diana Ross, Demi Lovato, Kelly Rowland, Hanson and The Monkees have all made their own versions.
The Monkees did a stripped down version of this song without the synth that is really good.
Here is the Monkees version in 2018
Wonderful Christmastime
The moon is right
The spirits up
We’re here tonight
And that’s enough
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
The party’s on
The feelin’s here
That only comes
This time of year
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
The choir of children sing their song
Ding dong, ding dong
Ding dong, ding ooo
Ooo ooo toot toot toot toot toot toot
We’re simply having a wonderful Christmastime
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
The word is out
About the town
To lift a glass
Ah don’t look down
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
The choir of children sing their song
They practiced all year long
Ding dong, ding dong
Ding dong, ding dong
Ding dong, ding dong, dong, dong, dong, dong
The party’s on
The spirits up
We’re here tonight
And that’s enough
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
We’re simply having a wonderful Christmastime
The moon is right
The spirits up
We’re here tonight
Oh and that’s enough
We’re simply having a wonderful Christmastime
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
Oh oh
Christmastime
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watching Paul as I read this on the new doc
I’ve watched the Get Back twice now…working on the third…but I’m a Beatles nerd.
I am a huge fan and love these intimate back stories and watching songs created in real time
It really gives you an insight on who they really were. In spite of the few arguments…you can tell they loved each other like brothers.
yes, and they certainly were and did
This one is on my short list of favorites. Maybe that synth captured something atmospheric?
It took a while for me but yea….that synth is different…and apparently new for the time
I really hated this song in the 90s because I worked in a mall for much of the decade and it was one song that was played repetitively through the day all December long, as if it wasn’t repetitive enough anyway. But now I don’t mind it, the sentiment is good at least. The Monkees version is kind of a nice change too; I don’t mind that synth on Paul’s but the Monkees sound a wee bit more chipper.
I have not heard this in a while, and it was nice listening to it again.
It’s good, just not I can hear this three times a day at work (when I worked at a supermarket during University) good.
No I can’t hear it much either. I do like the Monkees simple version. I had the same repsonse from Dave who worked in a mall at Christmas time during the 90s.
Wikipedia said it’s made McCartney 15 million. Another article said he wrote it in ten minutes, and Wikipedia indicates he wrote it in a day.
I tried to get a quote of him on how long but never could find one. It’s simple enough especially the words.
Never been a fave of mine either, and i bought the Monkees version, sounded good when it came out and since. If i was going to play a macca seasonal tune it would be We All Stand Together or Pipes Of Peace, both of which are unusual choices but do have thst xmas vibe. Seriously i love the frog chorus and am proud of it! 🙂
Oh yea We All Stand Together….I remember that!
Did you ever see the Bruce McMouse movie? I went to see that a couple of years ago.
No not seen that one! 🙂
It was shelved for decades…it was cool seeing Wings at that stage in 1973. It was a good kids movie…I don’t know why they didn’t release it.
This and the Springsteen Santa tune are my two favs
I just want to say what a richer world it is to read your posts. I liked this tune Max. It made me chuckle ‘Ding-dong lol I just want to say Merry XMAS to you and I hope you have a marvellous time with your family.
Thank you so much Matt. I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas. We had a great time. The only thing missing for us this year was Bailey…he is in Germany visiting his girlfriend.
How exciting for Bailey! I hope he enjoys his time there. I’m glad you are having a great time this festive season. Cheers buddy.
Cheers Matt…. he is having a good time. What meant more to me is her parents told us what a great person he is…that made me happy.
Her parents are German? Certainly you must be proud getting those comments! Have a good evening buddy.
Yes she is pure German…it’s his first trip out of the country. She goes to University over there.
I’m about to listen to your Bing story after I finish our family yahtzee game lol….
‘Pure German’ lol. Ask her is she likes the song – Wen Du Leibst Feat by Clueso which heads my blog lol
How cool your son was able to travel outside of the US for the first time!
Bruce was just telling me about ‘The Small One’ that’s its one of his favourite ever. Same here. I hope you like it. You should listen to it as a family if you can. It’s short, but utterly engrossing.
They have been talking for 2 years on face time everyday…this was the first time they met each other…..she is coming here in the Summer.
He won’t be coming back until the middle of January when the semester starts.
Ok we will do that Matt.
It sounds like how I met Connie, the mother of my children here. I hope all works out well for them. It’s going to be nice for you all too meet this young lass.
Make sure you do listen to it together, if you can. You won’t regret it.
For some reason, I hate this when McCartney does it, but love it when The Monkees do it.
John I think it’s because it sounds like Muzak a little…the Monkees stripped it down and it’s a good song.
Merry Christmas, Max!
Same with you and your family Mitch. I enjoy your posts through the year because they are genuine….
Likewise. I always appreciate the blend of facts and personal response/experiences that you include with your posts.
Thank you Mitch.
P.S. Just opened Christmas presents with my wife, and she bought me the two-volume ‘McCartney: The Lyrics’!
That is awesome! She is a keeper! lol
I’ll never forget. Paul McCartney did something with some rapper. May have been Kanye, years ago. Some dumbass tweeted, “Never heard of this McCartney guy, but now that he’s worked with Kanye that might help put him on the map”!
Oh yea! Yep that person was/is a dumbass!!! I mean how could anyone not hear of McCartney?
A popular tune no doubt, but I never cared for it. Much to Wings Este for me.
Yea it’s a little too muzak
I have never understood the hate for this song. I love it and so do my kids. Enough said!! Merry Christmas!!
Merry Christmas John!
Merry Christmas Max!
I kind of like the sound of the synthesizer, though it’s definitely not Paul’s best song. I don’t recall ever having watched the video clip, so that was fun!
I love the video also…you can tell it’s an early synth.