Costa Rica’s rain has been immortalized in one of Paul McCartney’s newest songs. The legendary British musician revealed that “First Star of the Night,” featured on his latest album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, was written during a stay in the country marked by heavy tropical rain.
As McCartney recounted in recent interviews, he was enjoying a day off in Costa Rica when his plans to relax by the pool were interrupted by a downpour that lasted for hours. Rather than getting frustrated, he picked up his guitar and began writing. “It rained like tropical rain, so I had my guitar,” McCartney said, describing how the weather pushed him toward the song instead of the sun.
The connection to Costa Rica made it into the finished track, which opens with McCartney remarking on the rain falling outside before the melody takes over. From there, the song evolves into an optimistic reflection on hope and on finding light amid gray days.
McCartney and his official archive have confirmed the song was written during a day off on his November 2024 stop in Costa Rica, part of the Got Back Tour. The track caps a project otherwise rooted in his Liverpool childhood: The Boys of Dungeon Lane is McCartney’s first solo album in nearly six years and his most introspective to date, revisiting his post-war upbringing and the early days before Beatlemania.
The Costa Rica reference resonated all the more because McCartney has repeatedly shown his affection for our country and its audiences. That bond was especially evident at the concert he gave in November 2024, which drew thousands of fans from across the region to celebrate the music of one of the most influential artists of all time.
McCartney’s most recent concert in Costa Rica took place on November 5, 2024, at the National Stadium in San José. It was his second performance in the country; the first came in May 2014. The 2024 show was among the most anticipated musical events of the year, drawing fans from across Costa Rica and neighboring countries including El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. During the performance, McCartney revisited classics from both The Beatles and his solo career, creating an atmosphere many attendees described as unforgettable.
While McCartney has not pinned down the exact date he completed “First Star of the Night,” the song has given Costa Rican fans another reason to celebrate their singular connection to the music icon
