Two pages of handwritten lyrics by the legendary Freddie Mercury are set to be auctioned, with bids starting at £100,000 and potentially reaching up to £150,000, according to Omega Auctions.
The lyrics, written in Mercury’s notebook, include almost complete versions of Queen’s hit song Who Wants to Live Forever, along with A Kind of Magic on the reverse side, as noted by the auction house. Both songs, massive hits by Queen, were released in 1986, with A Kind of Magic reaching the third spot on the UK singles chart.
The lyrics to Who Wants to Live Forever, composed by Queen’s guitarist Sir Brian May and famously performed as a duet between him and Mercury, were previously displayed at the Queen Studio Experience Museum in Montreux, Switzerland, which opened in 2013.
The lyrics on the reverse side for A Kind of Magic were discovered when the page was removed from the museum display case, revealing an unexpected treasure on the back, Omega Auctions reported.
This page with Mercury’s handwritten lyrics is part of the collection belonging to the foundation of the late David Richards, former producer and sound engineer, who once owned the famous Mountain Studios in Montreux, now home to the Queen Museum.
Paul Fairweather, head of auctions at Omega Auctions, commented, “Freddie’s performance of Who Wants to Live Forever is unforgettable, and A Kind of Magic remains an indisputable Queen classic.” He further expressed his anticipation of worldwide interest from Queen fans and collectors, adding, “It was a moment of pure magic, and I’ll never forget it.”
Freddie Mercury passed away in 1991 at age 45 after a long battle with AIDS, leaving an indelible legacy in music and rock history.