Home / Arts and Entertainment / Lost Bob Dylan Lyrics Emerge at Auction
Lost Bob Dylan Lyrics Emerge at Auction
31 Mar
Summary
- Torn page with Bob Dylan's 'I'm Not There' lyrics discovered.
- Lyrics found tucked inside an Allen Ginsberg paperback.
- Page expected to fetch up to £40,000 at auction.
A rare draft of Bob Dylan's 1967 song 'I'm Not There' has been discovered, nearly six decades after it was penned. The torn page of lyrics was found tucked inside a first-edition copy of Allen Ginsberg's "Ankor Wat," a book once owned by Sally Grossman, wife of Dylan's first manager Albert Grossman. This significant find is expected to attract considerable attention at auction.
The discovered lyric sheet is believed to be an extremely rare working draft of what is considered one of Dylan's greatest songs. It is scheduled to be auctioned in April, with an estimated selling price ranging from £20,000 to £40,000. The book containing the lyrics was a gift from Ginsberg to Sally Grossman in 1969 and is part of her estate, sold after her death in 2021.
This discovery follows other high-value sales of Dylan memorabilia. In 2025, two typed drafts for Dylan's 1965 hit 'Mr. Tambourine Man' sold for US$508,000 in Nashville. The upcoming auction in April will also feature other notable items, including Michael Jackson's handwritten lyrics for 'Black or White' and an archive related to Radiohead's 'OK Computer' album.
