London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Mar 14, 2026

The Beatles: Rare notebook containing handwritten 'Hey Jude' lyrics to go on display

The Beatles: Rare notebook containing handwritten 'Hey Jude' lyrics to go on display

A rare notebook featuring handwritten lyrics and recording notes from hit songs by The Beatles is set to go on display at a museum in Liverpool, England.

Collated from 1967 to 1968, the previously unseen notebook contains preliminary handwritten lyrics for "Hey Jude" by Paul McCartney, a part-lyric for "Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band," and George Harrison's recording notes for "All You Need Is Love."

It contains doodles by all four members -- John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Star -- and reveals some of the inspiration behind the seminal rock band's 1967 album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," as well as their self-titled record "The Beatles" released a year later.

The notebook contains Paul McCartney's handwritten draft lyrics to the 1968 song "Hey Jude."


The notebook belonged to the group's tour manager Mal Evans, according to a press statement from The Beatles Story museum, where the notebook will be exhibited from February 2022.

Mal Evans' widow, Lily Evans, put the notebook up for auction at Sotheby's in 1998, over two decades after her husband's death in 1976. It was sold to Liverpool businessman Alan Murphy for £100,000, the museum confirmed to CNN.

Born in Liverpool, Mal Evans became The Beatles' road manager in 1963, and was part of the band's "trusted inner circle," the press release said.

The notebook is set to go on display at The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool England.


He appeared in Peter Jackson's 2021 docuseries "The Beatles: Get Back."

Formed in Liverpool in 1960, and breaking up in 1970, The Beatles' legacy far outlasts their 10-year run as one of the world's most influential rock bands.
The award-winning group earned 19 No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits across their career, according to the Grammy Awards website.

They swept the music industry by storm with era-defining album covers, genre-defying records and Beatlemania -- the term coined to describe the fanatical hype surrounding the band.

Band member Paul McCartney has since collaborated with artists including Stevie Wonder, Rihanna and Kanye West.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Middle East War Highlights Strategic Importance of Strong UK–Ireland Cooperation
Weak Growth Signals UK Economy Was Faltering Even Before Middle East Energy Shock
Marks & Spencer Tops UK Fashion Retail Rankings as Most Considered Brand
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Royal Navy to Acquire Twenty Uncrewed Surface Vessels for Autonomous Warfare Testing
Russia Summons British and French Envoys After Ukrainian Storm Shadow Strike on Strategic Facility
Starmer Confirms Britain Will Maintain Sanctions on Russia Despite U.S. Policy Shift
UK Moves to Refine AI Definition in Investment Security Reform
UK Economy Stalls in January as Growth Unexpectedly Falls to Zero
Asian Energy Security Tested as Strait of Hormuz Disruption Threatens Oil Supplies
Iran Sets Three Conditions for Ending Regional War as Diplomatic Efforts Intensify
Tesla Secures Approval to Supply Electricity Directly to Homes Across Britain
Prince William Delivers Tribute to Australia’s Naval Alliance Amid Renewed Royal Spotlight on the Country
UK Foreign Secretary Travels to Saudi Arabia to Reinforce Support for Regional Allies
Putin’s ‘Hidden Hand’ May Be Assisting Iran in Conflict With Trump, UK Defence Secretary Warns
UK Sets April Deadline for Tech Platforms to Strengthen Online Protections for Children
Elon Musk Moves Into Britain’s Energy Market as Tesla Wins Licence to Supply Power
UK Watchdog Warns Fuel Retailers Against Profiteering Amid Iran War Price Surge
Report Claims Iran Used UK Charity Network to Expand Influence
United States and United Kingdom Establish Joint Standards for Counter-Drone Technology
Iran May Be Laying Naval Mines in Strait of Hormuz, UK Warns Amid Escalating Gulf Tensions
US Deploys Bunker-Buster Bombs to UK Airbase as Iran Conflict Intensifies
British Troops in Iraq Intercept Iranian Drones Targeting Coalition Base
Release of Mandelson Files Raises Tensions as UK Seeks Stable Relations With Donald Trump
UK Documents Reveal Starmer Was Warned About Mandelson’s Epstein Links Before Ambassador Appointment
Nearly Five Hundred UK Mortgage Deals Withdrawn in Two Days as Market Volatility Forces Lenders to Reprice
Three Cargo Ships Hit Near Iran as Attacks Spread to Strategic Strait of Hormuz
Why British Police Repeatedly Declined to Investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s UK Links
UK Parliament Ends Hereditary Seats in House of Lords, Closing Chapter on Centuries of Aristocratic Lawmaking
EU and UK Urge Israel to Act Against Rising West Bank Settler Violence Amid Regional Tensions
US Senator John Kennedy Says Keir Starmer Should Not Be Trusted for Military Advice Amid Iran War Debate
UK High Court Rejects Attempt to Revive Terrorism Charge Against Kneecap Rapper
Revolut Secures Full UK Banking Licence After Multi-Year Regulatory Wait
Kentucky’s Bench Boost Powers Wildcats Past LSU in SEC Tournament Opener
British Couple Die After Being Pulled From Water at Australian Beach During Family Visit
Global Energy Agency Announces Record Release of 400 Million Barrels to Stabilize Oil Markets Amid Hormuz Disruption
British Airways Suspends UK Repatriation Flights as Middle East Travel Disruption Deepens
US Forces Prepare Ordnance at RAF Fairford as Strategic Bombers Deploy for Middle East Operations
Nigel Farage Faces Criticism After Saying Britain Should Stay Out of Iran War
Landmark UK Trial Begins Over Sony’s PlayStation Store Pricing
UK High Court Rejects Bid to Challenge Britain’s Chagos Islands Agreement With Mauritius
Finnish Duo Triumphs in England’s Annual Wife-Carrying Race, Winning a Barrel of Ale
How U.S. and UK National Security Strategies Are Reshaping the Global Business Landscape
Green Party Gains Momentum as Labour Shifts Toward the Political Centre
Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Dragon Sets Sail for Eastern Mediterranean as Regional Tensions Rise
UK Homebuilder Persimmon Warns Iran Conflict Could Dent Property Buyer Confidence
Roman Abramovich Signals Legal Fight if UK Seeks to Seize Chelsea Sale Funds
×