Paul McCartney performed the Beatles’ chart-topping hit I Want to Hold Your Hand for the first time in 60 years at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding reception, according to People magazine.
The performance took place at the star-studded reception at Madison Square Garden in New York on Friday. The song, released in 1963, became the Beatles’ first No 1 hit in the US, fuelling Beatlemania and the wave of British bands known as the British invasion.
The Beatles last performed I Want to Hold Your Hand in public in September 1964 at the Paramount Theatre in New York, and McCartney had not performed it publicly since.
“After the ceremony, Taylor’s mom, Andrea, invited everyone into the reception room where the stage was set up,” an unnamed source told People, adding that former Fleetwood Mac vocalist Stevie Nicks also performed.
McCartney, 84, and Swift, 36, have shared a longstanding mutual admiration. They appeared together on the cover of Rolling Stone in 2020. McCartney attended Swift’s Eras Tour concert at Wembley Stadium in June 2024, while Swift later attended his intimate concert at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. She also recently shared an Instagram post by McCartney about his new solo album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, calling him an “eternally exceptional artist” whom she was “never not inspired” by.
Days before the wedding, McCartney was asked in an interview whether he had any advice for Swift on handling global fame.
“You so see the parallel, you know the fame and the amount of fame,” he told BBC Sounds. “The worldwide fame that Taylor Swift has and that we had, but I don’t think she needs any advice, to tell you the truth.”
He added that if Swift ever sought his advice, he would “definitely” be happy to help.
“I’m like the older brother to that generation, or more like the grandad, actually,” he said.
McCartney also said he had met Swift and fellow artistes Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter at gatherings hosted by his wife, Nancy Shevell, and daughter Stella.
“They’re really cool people, they’re very good,” he said. “I like their voices. If they need any advice, I would be happy to give it, but I don’t think they do.”
Released in 1963, I Want to Hold Your Hand became the Beatles’ bestselling single worldwide, selling more than 12 million copies. Although it was initially kept off the top of the UK charts by the band’s earlier hit She Loves You, it soon reached No 1, remaining there for five weeks, including the Christmas period, and stayed in the UK Top 50 for 21 weeks.
