First draft lyrics of Queen smash hit Bohemian Rhapsody reveal bizarre title song almost had
FIRST draft lyrics of Queen hit Bohemian Rhapsody are on sale for up to £1.2million.
Freddie Mercury’s pencilled scribbles reveal the third best-selling single of all time was almost called Mongolian Rhapsody.
Freddie crossed out that title in blue and black ballpoint pen as he used an A4 British Midlands Airways jotter pad from 1974.
The original first verse had the line “Don’t cry your eyes out for me”, later “Look up to the skies and see”.
And “Mama, There’s a war began”, changed to “Mama, just killed a man”.
Familiar names from the hit — Galileo, Fandango and Scaramouche — are seen in Freddie’s creative blitz. Those later omitted included Matador and Belladonna.
The jotter was kept at his £33million West London home where he died in 1991.
Auctioneer Gabriel Heaton said: “Thanks to the sheer complexity of the music, the song rests heavily on its lyrics to lend its coherence. We can now fully appreciate Freddie’s absolute skill as a lyricist.
“Bohemian Rhapsody was the band’s greatest risk and it became their greatest hit.”
The song, which runs to almost six minutes, went to No1 in 1975, and again in 1991.
Its lyrics, estimated to fetch between £800,000 and £1.2million, will be sold in New York in September.
Lyrics for Don’t Stop Me Now and We Are The Champions, will also be for sale with guide prices of £180,000 and £300,000.