Handwritten lyrics for Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds sell for $200,000

John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics for the Sgt Pepper song ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’ have sold at auction for $200,000.

The two 1967 lyric sheets were sold as lot #1552 by Californian auction house Profiles In History. The lot had an estimated price of $200-300,000, and also featured part of the opening line of ‘She’s Leaving Home’, a sketch of four people in a room, and a drawing of two “rocking horse people”.

With the addition of auction fees, the total cost of the lyrics was $237,000.

Profiles In History also sold a 1971 letter sent by John Lennon to Paul and Linda McCartney in response to a letter in which Linda criticised Lennon and Yoko Ono.

Bag Productions Inc.
Tittenhurst Park,
Ascot, Berkshire.
Ascot 23022

Dear Linda and Paul,

I was reading your letter and wondering what middle aged cranky Beatle fan wrote it. I resisted looking at the last page to find out – I kept thinking who is it – Queenie? Stuart’s mother? – Clive Epstein’s wife? – Alan Williams? – What the hell – it’s Linda!

You really think the press are beneath me/you? Do you think that? Who do you think we/you are? The “self-indulgent doesn’t realize who he is hurting” bit–I hope you realize what s**t you and the rest of my ‘kind and unselfish’ friends laid on Yoko and me, since we’ve been together. It might have sometimes been a bit more subtle or should I say “middle class” – but not often. We both “rose above it” quite a few times – & forgave you two – so it’s the least you can do for us – you noble people. Linda – if you don’t care what I say – shut up! – let Paul write – or whatever.

When asked about what I thought originally concerning MBE, etc. – I told them as best as I can remember – and I do remember squirming a little – don’t you, Paul? – or do you – as I suspect – still believe it all? I’ll forgive Paul for encouraging the Beatles – if he forgives me for the same – for being – “honest with me and caring too much”! F*****g hell, Linda, you’re not writing for Beatle book!!!

I’m not ashamed of the Beatles – (I did start it all) – but of some of the s**t we took to make them so big – I thought we all felt that way in varying degrees – obviously not.

Do you really think most of today’s art came about because of the Beatles? – I don’t believe you’re that insane – Paul – do you believe that? When you stop believing it you might wake up! Didn’t we always say we were part of the movement – not all of it? – Of course, we changed the world – but try and follow it through – GET OFF YOUR GOLD DISC AND FLY!

Don’t give me that Aunty Gin s**t about “in five years I’ll look back as a different person” – don’t you see that’s what’s happening NOW! – If I only knew THEN what I know NOW – you seemed to have missed that point….

Excuse me if I use “Beatle Space” to talk about whatever I want – obviously if they keep asking Beatle questions – I’ll answer them – and get as much John and Yoko Space as I can – they ask me about Paul and I answer – I know some of it gets personal – but whether you believe it or not I try and answer straight – and the bits they use are obviously the juicy bits – I don’t resent your husband – I’m sorry for him. I know the Beatles are “quite nice people” – I’m one of them – they’re also just as big b******s as anyone else – so get off your high horse! – by the way – we’ve had more intelligent interest in our new activities in one year than we had throughout the Beatle era.

Finally, about not telling anyone that I left the Beatles – PAUL and Klein both spent the day persuading me it was better not to say anything – asking me not to say anything because it would ‘hurt the Beatles’– and ‘let’s just let it petre out’ – remember? So get that into your petty little perversion of a mind, Mrs. McCartney – the c***s asked me to keep quiet about it. Of course, the money angle is important – to all of us – especially after all the petty s**t that came from your insane family/in laws – and GOD HELP YOU OUT, PAUL – see you in two years – I reckon you’ll be out then –

inspite of it all
love to you both,

from us two

P.S. about addressing your letter just to me – STILL….!!!

Other items in the auction included the car from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the crystal ball from The Wizard Of Oz, a bathing suit worn by Marilyn Monroe, and the sweater worn by Jeff Bridges in The Big Lebowski.