John Lennon’s ‘Happy Xmas’ vs. Paul McCartney’s ‘Wonderful Christmastime’: Which Holiday Song Has Been Covered More?
John Lennon and Paul McCartney might not have taken The Beatles to legendary heights without Ringo Starr and George Harrison’s help. Still, there’s no denying that John and Paul were the creative driving forces behind the band and responsible for some of The Beatles’ biggest hits. Paul and John kept writing hits after the Fab Four fractured, including some all-time great Christmas songs. Between John’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” and Paul’s “Wonderful Christmastime,” which has been covered more? Let’s find out.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney were competitive friends in The Beatles
Paul and John grew up as friends who shared similar life experiences before they formed a band. Both lost their mother at young ages, for instance. Their similar backgrounds and love for music helped them bond.
When they started playing and later writing music together, John and Paul were a tight-knit twosome. They often wrote in tandem and bounced ideas off each other. At the same time, the pair remained competitive against each other, striving to write more and bigger Beatles hits.
Paul and John both write Christmas songs that still dominate the airwaves around the holidays. But Macca’s “Wonderful Christmastime” has been remade more often than John’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).”
John’s ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’ vs. Paul’s ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ — the song that has been remade more
The Beatles’ breakup hardly stopped John and Paul’s music careers. Both of them achieved solo success, including writing all-time classic Christmas songs.
John’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” is a heartfelt ballad with timeless lyrics about loving and caring for your fellow man. It remains a holiday staple more than 50 years later, and it’s resonated with generations of musicians. According to the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), 42 artists have covered “Happy Xmas,” including Miley Cyrus, Neil Diamond, and John Legend. The version recorded with the Harlem Community Choir peaked at No. 42 on the Billboard singles chart in January 2019.
Paul wrote “Wonderful Christmastime” in about 10 minutes on a sweltering summer day in 1979. Yet the apparent ease with which he created it hasn’t diminished its status as a holiday favorite. The lighthearted and straightforward tune has been remade 50 times, per ASCAP. It reached No. 28 on the Billboard singles chart in the first week of January 2021.
Macca has the edge in the battle of the number of cover versions between his “Wonderful Christmastime” and John’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).” However, John wins when it comes to Spotify streams. “Happy Xmas” tallied more than 416.8 million streams as of Dec. 18, 2022, while “Wonderful Christmastime” checked in at more than 369.7 million.
Macca earns a fortune from ‘Wonderful Christmastime’
It might seem odd for such a lighthearted and cheerful tune, but “Wonderful Christmastime” engenders a lot of hate. Detractors say it’s too simple. The synth line grates or doesn’t speak to the holiday spirit the way a piano might.
With 50 cover versions and nearly 370 million streams, fans clearly have a love-hate relationship with the song. Yet we’d guess that Paul loves “Wonderful Christmastime” quite a bit. As the sole songwriter, he earns hefty royalties from cover versions and airplay. In 2010, it was estimated Paul added $15 million to his net worth because of the song in the previous 10 years alone.
Is it trite? It depends on who you ask. Is “Wonderful Christmastime” witchcraft? Some fans think so. Yet Paul McCartney’s Christmas song has more cover versions than John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).” At the same time, John’s holiday song gets played more frequently than Macca’s “Wonderful Christmastime” on Spotify.
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