28th Nov, 2023 10:00

Showcase Sale - Guitars, Music Memorabilia and Rare Vinyl Records

 
  Lot 293
 

DAVID BOWIE - HANDWRITTEN LYRICS FOR SUFFRAGETTE CITY / ROCK N' ROLL SUICIDE.

A page (20x32cm, irregularly cut) bearing handwritten lyrics to both sides by David Bowie. One side bears title (in Bowie's hand) and lyrics for 'Rock N' Roll Suicide' including amendments as well as a note 'Bowie Lyrics'. To the other side are notes, title and lyrics by David Bowie for 'Suffragette City'. A detailed letter of provenance from the vendor is included and reads:

"Suffragette City / Rock 'n' Roll Suicide Lyric Provenance

This original Suffragette City / Rock 'n' Roll Suicide lyric sheet dates to the final recording sessions for The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - released in June 1972. The hand-written notes were given to the original owner personally by David Bowle at Trident Studio, with a few other pages of original lyrics, some of which didn't survive. They were needed so that the music publisher and management could prepare the lyric sheet, printed on the album's inner record bag. At the same time, for the person collecting, David alerted them to two songs he hadn't written that he had just decided would also feature on the album ('It Ain't Easy' and 'Round and Round' - the names of which he quickly added at the foot of the page on the 'Suffragette City' side), writing next to them: 'pub (publishing) you know these songs'.

This was to help alert the publisher to enable publishing clearance for inclusion on the LP. Shortly after this the running order was amended again and 'Round and Round' replaced. ('Round and Round' was eventually used in April 1973 as a B-side for the UK issue of 'Drive In-Saturday'.)

These lyrics were purchased by the present owner in the early 1980's and loaned to the V&A in 2013. It remained with the exhibition for five years as it toured the World between 2013 and 2018 and was displayed in London (the only time Bowie saw the exhibition), Toronto, São Paulo, Berlin, Chicago, Paris, Melbourne, Groningen, Bologna, Tokyo, Barcelona and New York."

Sold for £72,000

Hammer Price


 

A page (20x32cm, irregularly cut) bearing handwritten lyrics to both sides by David Bowie. One side bears title (in Bowie's hand) and lyrics for 'Rock N' Roll Suicide' including amendments as well as a note 'Bowie Lyrics'. To the other side are notes, title and lyrics by David Bowie for 'Suffragette City'. A detailed letter of provenance from the vendor is included and reads:

"Suffragette City / Rock 'n' Roll Suicide Lyric Provenance

This original Suffragette City / Rock 'n' Roll Suicide lyric sheet dates to the final recording sessions for The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - released in June 1972. The hand-written notes were given to the original owner personally by David Bowle at Trident Studio, with a few other pages of original lyrics, some of which didn't survive. They were needed so that the music publisher and management could prepare the lyric sheet, printed on the album's inner record bag. At the same time, for the person collecting, David alerted them to two songs he hadn't written that he had just decided would also feature on the album ('It Ain't Easy' and 'Round and Round' - the names of which he quickly added at the foot of the page on the 'Suffragette City' side), writing next to them: 'pub (publishing) you know these songs'.

This was to help alert the publisher to enable publishing clearance for inclusion on the LP. Shortly after this the running order was amended again and 'Round and Round' replaced. ('Round and Round' was eventually used in April 1973 as a B-side for the UK issue of 'Drive In-Saturday'.)

These lyrics were purchased by the present owner in the early 1980's and loaned to the V&A in 2013. It remained with the exhibition for five years as it toured the World between 2013 and 2018 and was displayed in London (the only time Bowie saw the exhibition), Toronto, São Paulo, Berlin, Chicago, Paris, Melbourne, Groningen, Bologna, Tokyo, Barcelona and New York."

Auction: Showcase Sale - Guitars, Music Memorabilia and Rare Vinyl Records, 28th Nov, 2023

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