“A Day in the Life” lyrics to be auctioned
Written by admin on April 30, 2010 – 2:48 pm -Sotheby’s New York will auction off John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics to the Beatles classic “A Day in the Life” on June 18.
The double-sided sheet, which once belonged to Beatles road manager Mal Evans, shows how the lyrics developed, with cross-outs, corrections and reworkings. Lennon also indicates where McCartney’s “woke up, fell out of bed” lyrics would be inserted. McCartney had been working on these lyrics for a separate song, but they were considered a neat fit for Lennon’s song.
“A Day in the Life” appeared on the Beatles classic album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The inspiration for the lyrics has been debated. The verse which begins “He blew his mind out in a car” is thought to refer to the accidental death of Lennon and McCartney’s friend Tara Browne, who was the heir to the Guinness fortune. Other lyrics were taken from newspaper articles, such as “4,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire,” which referred to potholes in the roads.
Some lyrics also prompted controversy. The song was initially banned from broadcast by the BBC due to the line “I’d love to turn you on,” which was taken to be a drug reference. A BBC spokesman said:
| “We have listened to this song over and over again. And we have decided that it appears to go just a little too far, and could encourage a permissive attitude to drug-taking.” |
The Beatles denied that there were any drug references in the song.
The “A Day in the Life” handwritten lyrics are expected to fetch $500,000-$700,000 at auction.
“A Day in the Life” – The Beatles
Tags: A Day in the Life, John Lennon, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles
Posted in Auctions, The Beatles |
