Then And Now: Paul McCartney Busts Out Cover At Bonnaroo

MACCA PERFORMS “MIDNIGHT SPECIAL” AT BONNAROO

Last night legendary rocker Paul McCartney headlined Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN along with his longtime band. The setlist for Macca’s ‘Roo debut looked very similar to other stops on his current “Out There” tour, with one big exception.

Eleven songs in his massive, 36-song headlining performance, the former Beatle dusted off the traditional song “Midnight Special.” This traditional folk song is sung from the point-of-view of a prisoner who feels that if the “Midnight Special” freight train shines its light on him, he shall be released. Macca has been performing “Midnight Special” fairly regularly in his soundchecks since he started touring again in 1989 for the first time since the Wings Over The World tour in the mid ’70s. However, “Midnight Special” has rarely appeared at actual shows.

Paul last played “Midnight Special” in front of a big audience way back in 2002, when he performed it at Minute Maid Park in Houston. The song references “Houston,” making it a fitting choice for performance in that Texas city. Macca has played “Midnight Special” a few times more recently in front of smaller crowds such as the time in 2007 he performed the tune in front of 300 people at London’s ICA Festival and a 2003 performance in front of the Colosseum in Rome for 400 people.

For last night’s version, McCartney substituted “Nashville” for “Houston.” Take a listen: