John Lennon 'nonsense' lyrics fail to sell at auction

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John Lennon 'nonsense' lyrics about parrots and pancakes fail to sell at auction
By Simon Keegan
Feb 28, 2014

Bizarre alphabet list of lyrics and thoughts by Beatles legend too psychedelic to meet auction reserve

As the genius behind songs like Imagine and Working Class Hero, John Lennon's lyrics are the stuff of legend.

Even legends can have their off-days it seems, as a garbled bunch of lyrics by the Scouse singer have failed to sell at auction.

A "nonsense" list written by Lennon failed to raise even £6,000 at auction and given the content it comes as little surprise!

Michael Poynter Adams has the original 1969 printer's proof of the list which has 26 letters and nonsensical phrases in the former Beatle's handwriting.

It was expected to fetch at least £6,000 at the auction in Colwyn Bay, north Wales but bids failed to reach the £5,000 reserve price.

In what is known as an abecedarium, the dyslexic Lennon wrote: "A is for Parrot, B is for glasses, C is for plastic, D is for Doris..."

It ends with the rhyme: "This is my story both humble and true. Take it to pieces and mend it with glue."

The list later became the introduction to a controversial set of 14 erotic lithographs of him and Yoko Ono called Bag One.

Mr Adams, 69, from Anglesey, north Wales, who met Lennon while browsing for records in Liverpool in his pre-Beatles days, said: "I am selling it with great reluctance but it is not on display at home and we are moving to a smaller house, so it has to go.

"It's a significant piece of music history and I hope it goes to a good home."

John Lennon MBE was shot and killed in 1980, aged 40 in New York.

Led by the unparalleled Lennon-McCartney songwriting tag team the Beatles wrote lyrical classics like Come Together, In my Life and Penny Lane.


I am the eggman, I am the walrus: Yes, but A still isn't for parrot, John
Getty Images

Beatlemania: The list

A is for Parrot which we can plainly see
B is for glasses which we can plainly see
C is for plastic which we can plainly see
D is for Doris
E is for binoculars I'll get in five
F is for Ethel who lives next door
G is for orange which we love to eat when we can get them because they come from abroad
H is for England and (Heather)
I is for monkey we see in the tree
J is for parrot which we can plainly see
K is for shoetop we wear to the ball
L is for Land because brown
M is for Venezuela where the oranges come from
N is for Brazil near Venezuela (very near)
O is for football which we kick about a bit
T is for Tommy who won the war
Q is a garden which we can plainly see
R is for intestines which hurt when we dance
S is for pancake or whole-wheat bread
U is for Ethel who lives on the hill
P is arab and her sister will
W is for lighter which never lights
X is easter - have one yourself
Y is a crooked letter and you can't straighten it
Z is for Apple which we can plainly see.