McCartney's Handwritten 'Hey Jude' Lyrics Sold for 1.1 Billion Won

Live still cuts from Paul McCartney's 'Rock Show Concert' (Provided by Megabox)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jong-gil] Singer Paul McCartney (77) sold the handwritten lyrics of "Hey Jude," which he wrote 52 years ago while active with The Beatles, for 110 million won. According to British media on the 10th (local time), the lyrics were auctioned for $910,000 (about 110 million won) at an auction held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' breakup. It was sold for five times the appraised value.

The Beatles used these lyrics while recording "Hey Jude" at Trident Studios in Soho, London, in 1968. "Hey Jude" was written by McCartney to comfort John Lennon's son Julian after Lennon’s divorce. The original title was "Hey Jules." Lennon met Japanese avant-garde artist Yoko Ono in 1966, which led to his divorce from Cynthia, Julian's mother and his first wife.

The auction was held online due to concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). About 250 Beatles memorabilia items, including guitars and LP records, were exhibited. The drum skin used during The Beatles' first US tour in 1964 was sold for $200,000 (about 240 million won). The handwritten script used in the 1967 "Hello Goodbye" music video shoot was sold for $83,200 (about 10 million won), and the brass ashtray frequently used by Ringo Starr while recording at Abbey Road Studios in the 1960s was sold for $32,500 (about 3.94 million won).

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