Handwritten lyrics to some of Elton John’s biggest hits to be auctioned

Elton John fans will be able to snap up a piece of songwriting history when a rare collection of original handwritten lyrics goes on sale at Bonhams next month.

The London-based auction house is selling a collection of six song lyrics handwritten for John by Bernie Taupin, the lyricist behind most of his greatest hits.

The collection comprises original handwritten lyrics for “Your Song,” “Bennie and the Jets,” “Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road,” “Candle in the Wind,” “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” and “The Border Song,” which features rare annotations by Elton John.

Bonhams said the collection reveals Taupin’s “careful wordcraft and his famously inconsistent spelling.”

Fans will need to dig deep to buy the memorabilia when it comes up for sale in Los Angeles on December 9, however — individual items have estimates of between $30,000 and $250,000.

The lyrics are being sold from the collection of Bernie Taupin’s ex-wife, Maxine Taupin — who was the inspiration for the song “Tiny Dancer” and was privy to her former husband’s creative writing process, Bonhams said.

“When Bernie had completed an album’s worth of lyrics, we would pay Elton a visit,” she said.

“I was always amazed how prolific they were. When I heard the finished songs, I was instantly transported to that magical place these two creative forces have been taking us all for so many years.”