4 of the Most Expensive Lyrics Sold at Auction

Famous lyric pages go up for auction all the time as they’re discovered in folders, cabinets, and extensive collections. Many are handwritten, and some are typed. Often, they include rare glimpses into an artist’s creative process with edits and revisions. Here are four of the most expensive lyrics that have ever sold at auction.

Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone”

In 2014, a draft of lyrics to Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone” was sold at auction for a whopping price. Additionally, the sale was a milestone. It allegedly set a world record for the most expensive music manuscript.

The handwritten lyrics, said to be the only surviving final draft of “Like A Rolling Stone,” sold for $2.045 million. Containing four pages of notes in pencil, the manuscript is full of lyrics, scribbles, and doodles. The letterhead comes from the Roger Smith Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The Beatles’ “Hey Jude”

In 2020, a handwritten copy of The Beatles’ lyrics to “Hey Jude” sold at auction. During an auction of more than 250 items of The Beatles memorabilia, Paul McCartney’s hastily scribbled notes for “Hey Jude” sold for $910,000. This was about nine times the estimated price.

The lyrics were allegedly written during a recording session in 1968. It looks to be just a single page of lyrics, but includes a red cover sheet with the song title and Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s names.

David Bowie’s “Starman”

Late in 2022, the lyrics to David Bowie’s 1972 song “Starman” sold at auction, bought by the director of acquisitions for a Tasmanian museum. The single handwritten page showed Bowie’s distinct handwriting and creative process.

Initially, the lyrics were estimated to bring in around $66,000. But by the end of the bidding, the price had skyrocketed to $334,958. The museum director admitted they got “carried away and paid too much.” However, the lyric page remained a welcome addition to their library.

Elton John’s “Candle In The Wind”

In 2019, a page of lyrics for Elton John’s hit “Candle In The Wind” went to auction. The previous year, Bernie Taupin had auctioned off his collection of manuscripts, but the lyric pages for a few hit songs were missing. “Candle In The Wind” was one of them. Turns out, it was in the possession of Taupin’s ex-wife.

Auction organizers initially estimated “Candle In The Wind” at $150,000 to $200,000. When the bidding ended, it had gone up to $442,500. The pages include several revisions and discarded lyrics. For example, the first verse originally began with “Goodbye Marilyn Monroe” before edits.

Photo by David Redfern/Redferns