Paul McCartney performed a heartfelt tribute at SNL50, and fans could not help but notice a bittersweet detail in that moment. The Beatles frontman sang “Golden Slumbers,” “Carry That Weight,” and “The End” from Abbey Road to close out the star-studded ceremony last weekend.
Paul’s delivery was greatly admired, but the change in his voice caused mixed reactions, as hearing him sing at 82, made the lyrics more meaningful. His segment went viral on social media, causing fans to admit they are concerned about how much time Paul has left.
Paul McCartney makes tribute to Chris Farley during ‘SNL 50’ performance
View this post on Instagram
Beyond Paul’s changing but compelling voice, fans were able to connect his tribute to a past SNL sketch featuring him and the late Chris Farley. In the episode from 1993, Farley nervously asked Paul if the lyric “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make” was true, making the recent rendition a full circle moment for longtime SNL fans.
Paul’s session has been a topic since the party, with clips from the ‘90s featuring him and Farley making rounds on social media. “Paul McCartney performing Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight as a nod to Chris Farley during the SNL 50th Anniversary… ‘that was awesome!’ Not a dry eye in my house,” someone commented.
Fans react to Paul McCartney’s heartwarming performance
Paul’s fans called his session a highlight of the night; however, a few could not deny that he should have adjusted the melody to suit his range due to vocal changes. “The camera cutting to every single celeb in the audience rocking out to Paul McCartney while he sings on SNL… I really love moments like this tbh,” someone gushed.
Meanwhile, Paul has said that he would not be retiring, and would continue to perform for large live audiences. Despite the changes in his vocal ability, he is set to tour in 2026, and this will include international shows.