Paul McCartney’s handwritten lyrics to ‘Hey Jude’ sell for $910,000 at auction

It’s just a scrap of plain white paper with nine lines of writing scrawled across it. But that piece of paper just sold for $910,000 at auction to an anonymous buyer with a taste for classic 1960s music.

The paper once belonged to then-Beatles guitarist Paul McCartney. It contains the handwritten lyrics to “Hey Jude,” a rock anthem penned by Mr. McCartney and the late John Lennon in 1968.

Los Angeles-based Julien’s Auctions — which staged an online bidding war for the lyric sheet and other Beatles memorabilia on Friday — expected the paper to fetch $160,000 or so. It brought in about nine times that amount.

“McCartney famously wrote the song for John Lennon’s son Julian as a source of comfort during the divorce of his parents John and Cynthia Lennon. The song was originally called ’Hey Jules.’ The non-album single was The Beatles’ first release on their Apple record label and a highly successful debut,” the auctioneer noted in the item description.

That wasn’t the only item drawing a vigorous response in the auction, which was entirely themed around the Beatles and staged on the 50th anniversary of the foursome’s famous breakup.

A drum covering used by Ringo Starr at a 1964 public appearance went for $200,000 while a drawing made by John Lennon and his second wife Yoko Ono fetched $93,750. Lennon’s handwritten notes for an early Beatles video brought $83,200 and a piece of original stage flooring complete with nails once used by the Beatles in 1960 went for $25,600. The bidding items also included more mundane fare, such as Beatles-themed plastic dishware and school supplies.

Even a Beatles auction, however, was affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

“In keeping with the social distancing guidelines and safety measures put in place by the government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Julien’s Auctions staff accepted digital real-time bids via phone and online from remote locations,” the auctioneer said.