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Home > Beatles diary > Miscellaneous > John Lennon's handwritten lyrics for A Day In The Life sell for $1.2m

John Lennon's handwritten lyrics for A Day In The Life sell for $1.2m

8.16pm, Friday 18 June 2010 (1 year ago)

John Lennon handwritten lyrics for The Beatles' song A Day In The Life have sold at auction for $1.2 million.

Handwritten lyrics for A Day In The Life The lyrics sold to an unidentified telephone bidder at Sotheby's in New York, and exceeded the pre-sale estimate of $500,000-800,000. The sheet once belonged to The Beatles' assistant Mal Evans.

The single sheet of paper contains Lennon's rough draft of the final song on 1967's Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, including various revisions, written with a felt marker and ball point pen.

On the other side the lyrics are written again more neatly and with fewer corrections, along with the line "+ I love to turn you on", seemingly added at a later date.

Handwritten lyrics for A Day In The Life The highest amount ever paid for Beatles lyrics at auction was $1.25 million for All You Need Is Love, which was sold in 2005 at Cooper Owen in England.

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Also on this day...

  • 2009: Ringo Starr to get Hollywood Walk of Fame star
  • 2001: Sir Paul McCartney's coat of arms is granted
  • 1968: Première of the In His Own Write stage play
  • 1968: George Harrison and Ringo Starr return to England from America
  • 1968: Paul McCartney celebrates his 26th birthday at Apple
  • 1965: Television: Tonight
  • 1965: Radio: BBC European Service
  • 1965: Mixing: I've Just Seen A Face, I'm Down, It's Only Love, Act Naturally, Wait, Help!, Yesterday
  • 1964: Live: Sydney Stadium, Sydney
  • 1963: Paul McCartney's 21st birthday party
  • 1961: Live: Top Ten Club, Hamburg
  • 1960: Live: Grosvenor Ballroom, Wallasey
  • 1956: Paul McCartney is given a trumpet for his 14th birthday
  • 1942: Paul McCartney is born

Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.

Related articles:

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