Mexico City, Mexico - Paul McCartney revealed he felt moved by the crowds of people who camped out to see him play a free concert in Mexico City, saying it brought back memories of Beatlemania.

The soon to be 70 year old ex-Beatle performed the special Mother's Day concert in Zocalo, the main plaza in the heart of the nation's capital, where an estimated 250,000 people filled the square and lined the surrounding streets.

"It was quite emotional and exciting that people who might not be able to afford to come to our shows could come to this. It was like Beatlemania all over again," McCartney said.

"When you visit places that you don’t often come to, like Central and South America, they’ve been saving up their excitement so when you get there they let it all go. When you are in a rock band you hope people will like what you do, and when they like it as much as they did here, it’s quite a buzz."

The open-air concert lasted close to three hours and included about 40 songs from his entire career including some of The Beatles greatest hits such as "Drive My Car", "Hey Jude", "Let It Be", "Blackbird", and "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" for which McCartney was joined on stage by a traditional Mexican Mariachi band.

Sir Paul, who earlier in the day was honored by the mayor of the city, tickled the crowd by introducing some of his songs in Spanish sprinkled with Mexican slang. For good measure, he also waved the Mexican flag at one point.

McCartney congratulated all the Mexican mothers as well as his wife Nancy Shevell. "This tune is for all you mamacitas," he said as he introduced his next song in Spanish to the crowd's delight.

The former Beatle played a total of three shows in Mexico, including one in Guadalajara and a sell-out show at the legendary Azteca Stadium to about 80,000 people. Many of the die-hard fans spent the week camped outside his hotel in Mexico City.

The show marked the second time McCartney has played the capital city, the last time being in 2010. Tickets to that concert sold out in minutes, making it the fastest sell out concert in the country’s history.

The show was the closing date of his South American "On The Run" tour, and his last gig before the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee show next month.