The mood is right, the spirit’s up, it’s Music Monday, and that’s enough!
Well, at least part of that is enough. It’s still Monday.
We are eight days and counting until Christmas, and I’m two days and counting until I leave for my Southern California Christmas. But whether I’m in somewhat mild (for December) Southern New Jersey or balmy Southern California, it is still Christmas. And I’m still doing what Paul McCartney wants me to do: simply havin’ a wonderful Christmastime.
“Wonderful Christmastime” is a 1979 song by Paul McCartney, formerly of The Beatles, and then-currently of Wings. He recorded it entirely on his own in the summer of 1979 during sessions for his solo project McCartney II. Although Wings is not in the song, they are featured in the promotional music video, and performed the song during their 1979 tour of the United Kingdom.
The song peaked at #6 on the UK Singles Chart for the week ending January 5, 1980. In the United States, “Wonderful Christmastime” reached #83 on the Cashbox Top 100 Singles Chart, but did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. The song eventually did chart in the United states – #10 on the Billboard Christmas Singles chart in 1984, and #29 on Billboard‘s weekly Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart in early January 1996. To this day, it receives frequent radio airplay.
The song has been covered by Kylie Minogue and British singer-songwriter Mika, as well as (here they are again!) Chicago in 2011 for their third Christmas album, O Christmas Three, with Dolly Parton joining bassist and vocalist Jason Scheff.
Couldn’t get through one Music Monday Christmas without mentioning Chicago, amirite?
Anyway, I’m not going with their version of the song as the primary featured song…though I am going to break it out for the purpose of comparison.
So without further ado, here’s the classic Paul McCartney Christmas single, “Wonderful Christmastime”!
And that Chicago version I mentioned. Because I have to.
Oh, and the Kylie Minogue/MIKA version!
If that’s not enough declarations of having a wonderful Christmastime, I don’t know what is!
We’ve got one more Christmas song up our sleeves for next Monday, and two more Christmas-themed commercials for this coming week. If you’re mind-blown about how fast this month has gone, then you’re in the same boat as me! It is insane!
But, let’s enjoy it while it lasts, and take in all the great things about the season.
The Countdown to Christmas continues on Allison’s Written Words! Have a great Monday, and enjoy the music!
Allison's Written Words