The Priciest Song Lyrics Ever Sold at Auction
- - The Priciest Song Lyrics Ever Sold at Auction
Owen ChaseDecember 24, 2025 at 12:30 AM
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Handwritten song lyrics not only attract fans but also draw serious money at auction. Collectors will pay hundreds of thousands, even millions, for the original pages where famous songs first took shape.
These lyric sheets often include edits, scribbles, and unused verses that reveal how the final song evolved.
Bob Dylan – Like A Rolling Stone ($2.045 Million)
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
In 2014, Bob Dylan’s drafted lyrics for Like a Rolling Stone were acquired for $2.045 million by a buyer at Sotheby’s. The four-page draft included crossed-out lines, alternate rhymes, and pencil sketches. This was the only surviving draft of the document. Its rarity, condition, and cultural significance helped set a world record for the sale of any music manuscript at auction.
The Beatles – A Day In The Life ($1.2 Million)
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
By 1967, the Beatles had already released 12 number-one hits in the UK alone. A Day in the Life wasn’t a chart single, but it became one of their most critically praised tracks. The handwritten wordings for the song, penned by John Lennon, included edits and structural notes.
The Beatles – All You Need Is Love ($1.25 Million)
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
John Lennon was entrusted with the responsibility of writing the lyrics for All You Need Is Love, a song that was broadcast to an audience of over 400 million people in 1967. The final piece was performed live during the world’s first global satellite TV event. His original lyric sheet, with minor corrections, went for $1.25 million in 2005.
John Lennon – Imagine ($1.2 Million)
Credit: Youtube
Imagine became one of the most recognized songs of the twentieth century, often linked to peace movements and public memorials around the world. Its lyrics promoted a vision of unity that crossed political and historical lines. Lennon wrote the original lyrics on hotel stationery, which kept the wording direct and spare.
Don McLean – American Pie ($1.2 Million)
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The full manuscript for American Pie reached $1.2 million at Christie’s in 2015. The auction drew attention because the song’s meaning had long sparked debate. Listeners have speculated for decades about the references, but McLean never confirmed much, which kept the mystery alive. The draft included notes and a previously unseen verse, which gave collectors a closer look at the ideas behind the lyrics.
The Beatles – Hey Jude ($910,000)
Credit: Youtube
Paul McCartney penned Hey Jude in 1968 to comfort John Lennon’s son Julian during his parents’ separation. Originally titled Hey Jules, the creation quickly evolved into one of the Beatles’ most lasting singles. The handwritten sheet from that year, created during a recording session, came with a red cover sheet with both McCartney’s and Lennon’s names.
Plastic Ono Band – Give Peace A Chance ($833,653)
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
After launching his solo career after dozens of hits with the Beatles, John Lennon released Give Peace a Chance in 1969 under the Plastic Ono Band name. The lyrics, written during his Montreal Bed-In with Yoko Ono, sold for $833,653 at Christie’s in 2008. Lennon wrote the sheet large enough for others in the hotel room to follow during the live recording.
Elton John – Candle In The Wind (1997 Version) ($442,500)
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Bernie Taupin rewrote the lyrics to“Candle in the Wind after Princess Diana lost her life. The revised manuscript included changes to key lines, including Goodbye England’s rose. The original pages revealed how the tribute evolved through multiple edits and discarded phrases. Since the single became the best-selling of all time, the original masterpiece gained significant attention when it was put up for auction.
Bob Dylan – The Times They Are A-Changin’ ($422,500)
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Drawing from the style of old Scottish and Irish ballads, Bob Dylan wrote The Times They Are A-Changin in 1963. The song’s structure and tone reflected those traditional forms but carried a distinctly modern message. It became closely tied to the civil rights movement and broader calls for social change.
David Bowie – Starman ($334,958)
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Written in 1972, Starman played a key role in launching David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust persona to a broader audience. A museum director in Tasmania placed the winning bid and later admitted that it was a spontaneous decision. Even so, the sale confirmed Bowie’s lasting cultural and artistic appeal.
Source: “AOL Money”
