Music

"A Day in the Life" lyric sheet sells for $1.2 million

by Ciaran Thompson

“I read the news today, oh boy.” This past Friday the sheet with John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics for The Beatles’ song “A Day in the Life” off their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, sold for $1.2 million at an auction in New York City.

The double sided sheet features corrections by Lennon in black felt marker and blue ballpoint pen, with annotations in red ink. Before the auction it was expected to sell between $500,000 and $800,000.

David Redden, the international chairman of Sotherby’s Books and Manuscripts department said, “The outstanding price achieved for these handwritten lyrics is testament to the iconic status of The Beatles, John Lennon and especially this song.”

Upon it’s release, the track was banned by the BBC because of the lyric “I’d love to turn you on,” which was seen as supporting illegal drug use. It was also omitted from copies of the album sold in Asian countries for the same reason.

Back in 2005, the lyric sheet for “All You Need Is Love” fetched $1.25 million. “A Day in the Life” is listed at number 26 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list. [AP]