Bruce Springsteen fans will have a unique opportunity at 10 a.m. EST on Dec. 5, that is, if they have way more cash than they know what to do with. On Thursday, Sotheby's will be auctioning an early working draft of the lyrics to Springsteen's 1975 hit, "Born to Run."
The lyrics were hand-written in West Long Branch, New Jersey by a young, 26-year-old Springsteen in 1974. The lyrics on the single piece of paper, written in blue ink, are not the exact lyrics we hear in the classic song, but it's interesting to see his marginal notes and have some indication of his thinking process while coming up with one of his biggest hits.
"Although Springsteen is known to have an intensive drafting process, few manuscripts of 'Born to Run' are available, with the present example being one of only two identified that include the most famous lines in the song," according to the auction notes. "This iteration expresses the darkness that the early versions are known for, but has the distinction of a nearly perfected chorus."
The autographed manuscript on lined notebook paper comes from the collection of Mike Appel, Springsteen's former manager and a co-producer of the Born to Run album. Sotheby's notes say that it is in good condition. One would hope so because the auction house is expecting the bids to come in between $70,000 and $100,000. The young rock star did have surprisingly nice handwriting for someone jotting down lyrics.
Springsteen's most recent album, High Hopes, will be out Jan. 14. It is a collection of covers, studio outtakes and re-recorded original songs.
