Paul McCartney released the Christmas single “Wonderful Christmastime” in 1979. The song came out in November that year, even though it was recorded several months earlier during sessions connected with his album McCartney II.
McCartney wrote, produced and performed the track largely by himself. He played the vocals, keyboards, synthesisers, guitars, bass, drums and percussion, giving the recording its distinctive electronic sound. The bright synthesiser parts helped make it stand out from the orchestral and choral Christmas music that dominated many seasonal playlists.
The single was backed by “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reggae,” an instrumental version of the familiar Christmas song. “Wonderful Christmastime” was also associated with Wings’ 1979 tour, during which the group performed it at every show. Its release therefore marked both McCartney’s return to solo singles and his continuing work with the Wings era.
The song was not an immediate American chart phenomenon, but it became a durable holiday favourite through repeated seasonal radio play. It eventually reached the Billboard Hot 100 decades after release, peaking at number 26 in January 2024. That later success is why people sometimes misremember it as a much newer Christmas hit.