From Loudersoud.
Unearthed handwritten notes by Freddie Mercury reveal his early ideas for Queen‘s flagship anthem Bohemian Rhapsody.
The most interesting musing written by the late frontman shows his original intentions for the song’s title, and that he was at one point leaning towards the phrase ‘Mongolian Rhapsody’.
The item of stationary, which was taken from a now-defunct British airline, British Midland, displays the former working-title, with the word ‘Mongolian‘ crossed out and ‘Bohemian‘ written above it.
Elsewhere in the notes, the vocalist appears to have jotted down other lyrical ideas, such as ‘fandango,‘ ‘Figaro,’ ‘thunderbolts and lighting’ and ‘belladonna’.
Other revelations from the draft show Mercury’s initial lyrics for the verse. Instead of ‘Mama/Just killed a man/Put a gun against his head/Pulled my trigger, now he’s dead’, the singer proposed: ‘Mama/There’s a war began/I’ve got to leave tonight/I’ve got to stand and fight.’
The 15 pages of notes – which were recently uncovered after Mercury’s longtime friend Mary Austin offered up thousands of the singer’s items to go under the hammer at Sotheby’s auction house in London – are estimated to be worth $1.5 million.
Fans and collectors will be able to bid for the piece in a live auction on September 6.
Among the 1,500 items up for auction, there are also manuscripts of working lyrics to other Queen songs including Don’t Stop Me Now, Somebody To Love and We Are The Champions.
Mercury’s signature crown and cloak ensemble, famously worn throughout 1986’s Magic Tour, is also available, and expected to bring in £60,000-£80,000.
Following the death of Queen’s vocalist in 1991, Austin inherited much of his estate. Austin tells the BBC that she is selling the memorabilia in the hope of getting her “affairs in order”, adding that the collection “takes you deeper within the individual and the man I knew.”
View the Bohemian Rhapsody draft below:
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- Queen - A Night At The Opera - 1st - VG - UK - vinyl LP - £50.00, $61.50, €59.00 (New Item) (arrived 21-Jan-2025 18:00)on January 21, 2025 at 9:23 pm
QUEEN A Night At The Opera (Classic 1975 UK first press 12-track LP with picture labels & 'BLAIRS' etched into the run-off area, their fourth studio album including the classic hit Bohemian Rhapsody, embossed gatefold picture sleeve with picture inner. The sleeve shows some obvious discolouring and a seam split to the inner, whilst the vinyl is clean & grades Excellent with only light signs of wear EMTC103) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Queen - Queen II - UK - vinyl LP - £20.00, $24.60, €23.60 (New Item) (arrived 17-Jan-2025 13:56)on January 21, 2025 at 9:23 pm
QUEEN Queen II (1984 UK Fame issue of the 1974 11-track vinyl LP, their second studio album which includes the single Seven Seas Of Rhye. The glossy barcoded gatefold sleeve displays the 'Fame' logo top right and shows moderate signs of age-related wear with some notable edgewear, whilst the vinyl shows only light signs of play FA4130991)
- Queen - A Night At The Opera - 1st - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £150.00, $184.50, €177.00 (New Item) (arrived 16-Jan-2025 16:00)on January 21, 2025 at 9:23 pm
QUEEN A Night At The Opera (Classic 1975 UK first press 12-track LP with picture labels & 'BLAIRS' etched into the run-off area, their fourth studio album including the classic hit Bohemian Rhapsody, housed in the original embossed gatefold picture sleeve with the picture inner. The sleeve shows light foxing with a split to the inner and the vinyl appears barely played, overall an Excellent example EMTC103) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Queen - Kizuna + Bonus PVC Folder - Japanese - 2-LP vinyl set - £69.99, $86.09, €82.59 (New Item) (arrived 16-Jan-2025 18:00)on January 21, 2025 at 9:23 pm
QUEEN Kizuna (2024 Japanese Tower Records exclusive limited edition 16-track double album 2-LP pressed on 180-gram heavyweight black, half-speed mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios. Kizuna compiles tracks recorded live in concert between 1979 and 1986, as voted for by Japanese fans. Housed inside a gatefold picture sleeve with English lyric printed inners, Japanese lyric insert and exclusive obi-strip. This edition also includes an official 'Not For Sale' custom printed multi-purpose 12" x 8½" PVC folder, available exclusively from Tower Records stores in Japan!) ***Limited to only 2000 copies***
- Queen - A Day At The Races - 180gm + Stickered - UK - vinyl LP - £125.00, $153.75, €147.50 (New Item) (arrived 17-Jan-2025 09:32)on January 21, 2025 at 9:23 pm
QUEEN A Day At The Races (Limited Edition 1999 UK 10-track LP pressed on 180gram Virgin Vinyl as part of The Millennium Vinyl Collection, an all analogue cutting from the analogue master tapes, first released in 1976. Comes housed in adeluxe gatefold picture sleeve with the printed inner. The packaging & the vinyl is near 'as new', still in the hype stickered PVC dust jacket)
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