Sir Paul McCartney was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on May 16, taking on the slot for the first time since 2012 to ring in the show’s Season 51 finale. The 83-year-old artist performed opposite host Will Ferrell, playing his new song “Days We Left Behind” and a Wings classic, “Band on the Run.” Watch highlights from the episode below.
McCartney kicked off his Saturday Night Live stint with an appearance during Ferrell’s monologue. The skit began with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith—who, when suited up the right way, bears an uncanny resemblance to Ferrell—standing in for the monologue before Ferrell interrupts him. After taking over, the real Ferrell fields an audience question from McCartney, who eventually joins him onstage to discuss some of his biggest hits, before McCartney concludes: “Get your ass behind the drums, Chad!”
Smith did, in fact, join McCartney on drums for his performance of “Days We Left Behind,” the lead single off his forthcoming album The Boys of Dungeon Lane, due out May 29. Behind McCartney and his band, photos of his childhood and time with early Beatles iteration the Quarrymen were projected onto a screen. Later, he returned for “Band on the Run,” which he also performed during a stint as musical guest in 2010. Any lucky viewer who stayed tuned in all the way through the goodnights also got treated to a third song, “Coming Up,” which McCartney premiered on the show all the way back in Season 5. Elsewhere, McCartney also popped up as an auto mechanic alongside Ferrell and Marcello Hernandez.
McCartney’s performance capped off a stacked season of musical guests including Geese, A$AP Rocky, Doja Cat, Brandi Carlile, Mumford & Sons, Olivia Dean, Dijon, Lily Allen, and Cher. Bad Bunny, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, and Ariana Grande also all hosted episodes. It marked his fifth official stint as an SNL musical guest, although he also contributed to SNL50: The Anniversary Special last year.