A note written by John Lennon on the day he died has gone on sale for $154,000.
The handwritten note was given to a sound technician at New York’s Hit Factory studio. Lennon borrowed a set of guitar strings on 7 December 1980, and the following day left a note which read: “For Karl, who strung me along, thanx, John Lennon, 1980.”
Shortly after leaving the studio on 8 December 1980, Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman outside the Dakota building. The note, said to his last, is on sale at the memorabilia website Moments In Time.
The autograph was given by Lennon to Thom Panunzio, who was working on the album Golden Down by Willie Nile on the day. Panunzio noticed Lennon outside the studio and asked for an autograph for a friend named Karl, and subsequently realised that the singer mistakenly thought the strings were from him.
Also on this day...
- 2005: US album release: Chaos And Creation In The Backyard by Paul McCartney
- 1999: Album release: Yellow Submarine Songtrack
- 1969: Plastic Ono Band live: the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival festival
- 1968: Recording: Glass Onion
- 1967: Filming: Magical Mystery Tour
- 1965: Zak Starkey is born
- 1965: US single release: Yesterday
- 1964: Live: Civic Center, Baltimore
- 1963: Live: Public Hall, Preston
- 1962: Live: Riverpark Ballroom, Chester
- 1962: Live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime)
- 1961: Live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (evening)
- 1961: Live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime)
- 1960: Live: Indra Club, Hamburg
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.