-
Original lyric sheets have become valuable pieces of music history, with some selling for more than $1 million at auction.
-
The manuscripts offer rare glimpses into how some of the world’s most famous songs were written, edited and shaped before reaching audiences.
-
Several of the sales involve unfinished drafts, handwritten corrections and notes that reveal the creative process behind iconic recordings.
-
From classic rock and pop to songs that became cultural anthems, these manuscripts have attracted serious interest from collectors around the world.
September 10, (THEWILL) – Song lyrics are usually valued for the music and memories they create. But when an original lyric sheet comes directly from a celebrated songwriter, it can become a valuable piece of music history.
Over the years, collectors have paid hundreds of thousands, and in some cases millions, of dollars for original manuscripts. Many feature crossed-out lines, handwritten corrections, alternative verses and personal notes, offering a rare look at how some of the world’s best-known songs took shape.
The songs themselves also add to the manuscripts’ appeal. Several became defining records of their era and have remained influential decades after their release.
Unlike a recording, an original lyric sheet preserves the work in its unfinished form. It captures the songwriter’s ideas as they evolved, including changes and discarded lines that never made it into the final version.
With several manuscripts selling for more than $1 million, original lyrics have become some of the most sought-after pieces of music memorabilia.
Here are 10 of the most expensive original song lyric manuscripts publicly sold at auction.
1. “Like a Rolling Stone” – Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan’s handwritten lyrics for “Like a Rolling Stone” sold for $2.045 million at Sotheby’s in New York in 2014, making it the most expensive song manuscript on this list.
The four-page manuscript was written in pencil on letterhead from the Hotel Roger Smith in Washington, D.C. It contains the lyrics that eventually became the recorded version, along with corrections, alternative wording, notes and other markings.
The manuscript offers a rare look at Dylan’s writing process as he worked on one of his most important songs. Sotheby’s described it as the final draft of the lyrics as recorded in June 1965.
The song became a major turning point in Dylan’s career. Its six-minute running time and electric sound also marked a significant shift from his earlier acoustic folk work.
2. “Bohemian Rhapsody” – Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury’s handwritten working lyrics for “Bohemian Rhapsody” sold for £1.379 million, or about $1.74 million, at Sotheby’s in London in 2023.
The manuscript consists of 15 pages written on stationery from British Midland Airways. It documents Mercury’s work on one of Queen’s most ambitious songs.
One of the most notable details is that Mercury initially considered calling the song “Mongolian Rhapsody” before changing the title to “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The pages also contain notes showing how he planned the song’s complex vocal and operatic sections.
The manuscript was sold as part of Sotheby’s “Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own” auction, which featured items from Mercury’s personal collection.
3. “All You Need Is Love” – John Lennon
John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics for “All You Need Is Love” sold for $1.25 million at Cooper Owen’s Music Legends auction in London in 2005.
The manuscript consists of 12 handwritten lines on a single sheet of paper. Its value was driven not only by Lennon’s authorship but also by the song’s place in Beatles history.
The Beatles performed “All You Need Is Love” during the historic 1967 “Our World” television broadcast, which reached an international audience.
The 2005 sale set a new record for a Beatles lyric manuscript at the time, surpassing the previous record held by “Nowhere Man.”
4. “American Pie” – Don McLean
Don McLean’s original working manuscript for “American Pie” sold for $1.205 million at Christie’s New York in 2015.
The collection contained 16 pages of working material, including 237 handwritten lines and 26 typed lines. It showed the extensive process behind one of the most discussed songs in American music.
The manuscript included revisions and deleted sections, giving collectors a detailed look at how McLean developed the song.
Released in 1971, “American Pie” became one of McLean’s signature songs. Christie’s noted that it had been recognised by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts as a “Song of the Century.”
5. “A Day in the Life” – John Lennon
John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics for “A Day in the Life” sold for $1.2 million at Sotheby’s in New York in 2010.
The manuscript is a double-sided sheet showing Lennon’s original draft and a later, more polished version. It contains corrections, additions and changes made in Lennon’s handwriting.
The sheet originally belonged to the Beatles’ road manager, Mal Evans, and had previously appeared at auction before returning to the market in 2010.
“A Day in the Life” became the closing track on the Beatles’ 1967 album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and remains one of the group’s most acclaimed recordings.
6. “Hey Jude” – Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney’s handwritten lyrics for “Hey Jude” sold for $910,000 at Julien’s Auctions in 2020.
The sheet was used by McCartney as a guide during the recording of the song at Trident Studios in London in 1968. It contains handwritten lyrics and notes used during the recording process.
McCartney wrote the song to comfort John Lennon’s son, Julian, during the breakdown of Lennon’s marriage to Cynthia Lennon. The song was initially known as “Hey Jules.”
The manuscript sold for about nine times its original estimate and became the top-selling item in Julien’s Beatles auction that year.
7. “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” – Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan’s handwritten and corrected manuscript for “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” sold for $485,000 at Sotheby’s in New York in 2014.
The manuscript contains extensive changes and corrections, offering a glimpse into Dylan’s early writing process.
The song was written in 1962 and became one of Dylan’s best-known early compositions. It has often been associated with the fears surrounding the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis, although Dylan has given different explanations for its inspiration.
The sale took place during the same Sotheby’s auction that featured the much more expensive “Like a Rolling Stone” manuscript.
8. “Nowhere Man” – John Lennon
John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics for “Nowhere Man” sold for $455,000 at Christie’s in New York in 2003.
The manuscript dates from the period when Lennon was working on the Beatles’ 1965 album “Rubber Soul.”
“Nowhere Man” was significant in the Beatles’ songwriting development because it moved away from the group’s earlier focus on romantic relationships and explored more personal and introspective themes.
The 2003 sale set a major record for Beatles lyric manuscripts at the time, before it was surpassed by “All You Need Is Love” in 2005.
9. “Candle in the Wind 1997” – Bernie Taupin and Elton John
The handwritten lyrics to “Candle in the Wind 1997” sold for $442,500 at a charity auction in Los Angeles on February 11, 1998. The auction benefited Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
The three-page manuscript was rewritten by Bernie Taupin following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Elton John performed the song at her funeral in September 1997, and the manuscript was signed by both Taupin and John.
The manuscript was purchased by the Lund Foundation for Children, a nonprofit organisation that supported programmes for disadvantaged children. Proceeds from the sale went to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
The song was a rewritten version of the 1973 “Candle in the Wind,” which Taupin originally wrote about Marilyn Monroe. The 1997 version replaced the original lyrics with a tribute to Diana and became a major worldwide hit.
10. “The Times They Are A-Changin’” – Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan’s handwritten lyrics for “The Times They Are A-Changin’” sold for $422,500 at Sotheby’s in New York in 2010.
The two-page manuscript contains four verses written in pencil, with corrections and changes made during the songwriting process.
The document was bought by American art collector and hedge fund manager Adam Sender, who won the auction after competing with several other bidders.
Released in 1964, “The Times They Are A-Changin’” became closely associated with the social and political changes of the 1960s and remains one of Dylan’s most recognisable songs.
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
