Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' appears to have been originally titled 'Mongolian Rhapsody'
Freddie Mercury's early songwriting drafts suggest that Queen's operatic rock epic "Bohemian Rhapsody" could've been released under a very different title.
Mercury's handwritten lyric sheets are among the more than 1,500 items that once belonged to the rock star that will be auctioned off at Sotheby's Auction House in London later this year. Among them are 15 pages of lyrics, which Mercury wrote with pencil on stationary from the now-defunct airline British Midland Airways. On one sheet, an early draft of "Bohemian Rhapsody" can be seen with the title "Mongolian Rhapsody," which was later crossed out and replaced with "Bohemian."
Sotheby's is selling Mercury's personal items on behalf of his close friend Mary Austin, who explained to the BBC that she's selling the collection "because I need to put my affairs in order," adding, "The time has come for me to take the difficult decision to close this very special chapter in my life."
© Queen Music Ltd - Sony Music Publishing UK Ltd Freddie Mercury's handwritten lyrics for 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' which appear to show a different title
Outside of a few "personal gifts" and photographs of the pair together, Austin is selling the entirety of Mercury's personal items, which have all remained at his Garden Lodge home in the Kensington neighborhood of London since his death in 1991.
The coveted paper alone is estimated to be worth up to £1.2 million, or roughly $1.5 million. Other items in the collection include a pair of Adidas high top sneakers, a crown and cape ensemble, and the singer's posthumous 1992 MTV Video Music Award for Best Music Video for "Bohemian Rhapsody."
"I decided that it wouldn't be appropriate for me to keep things back," Austin said. "If I was going to sell, I had to be brave and sell the lot."
© Queen Music Ltd - Sony Music Publishing UK Ltd Freddie Mercury's handwritten lyrics for 'Bohemian Rhapsody'
Before the items go up for sale, however, Queen fans will be able to view them as part of a free traveling exhibition titled Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own. It will be on display at the auction company's New York location from June 1 until June 8.
"This collection has remained at Freddie's beloved Garden Lodge for over three decades and displays a quality and diversity of works that are a testament not only to his passion, but his brilliant mind," Sotheby's shared in a statement on its website.
Sotheby's adds that the collection "displays a quality and diversity of works that are a testament not only to his passion, but his brilliant mind."
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