Sotheby’s New York has gotten a hold of the original handwritten lyrics from the famous Beatles song “A Day in the Life,” that was transcribed by John Lennon, and will offer it up on June 18th. During their time with the Beatles, Lennon and Paul McCartney had numerous disputes, however this is one of their best-known collaborations.

Formerly in the possession of Mal Evans, the Beatles famous road manager, the song was described by the New York Times as “one of the most important Lennon-McCartney compositions… a historic Pop event.” The document, which is double-sided, gives a timeline of this famous song from its conception to the final lyrics that were sang in the recording studio, complete with cross-outs, corrections, and re-writes. This sheet of paper provides fascinating insight into the songwriting dynamic between Lennon and McCartney, showing where he would insert his livelier and upbeat stanzas that contrasted with Lennon’s typical drab style.

The final track of the Beatles’ legendary 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, “A Day in the Life” was one of the most controversial songs in history. Sparked by that controversy, the Beatles catapulted up the charts and this song is said to be the one that marked them as true artists instead of just pop icons. First airing on June 1, 1967, it was considered one of the crowning achievements of not only the Beatles but pop music itself, and helped define it as one of the most influential movements of the 20th century.
This polarizing song was heavily criticized for its morbid tone and advocacy of drug use. The line “I’d love to turn you on,” caused it to be banned by the BBC, who felt it encouraged narcotic use; it was the first song to be censored by a national radio network in the UK. Several Asian countries removed the song from the track list. Another line, “he blew his mind out in a car,” is said to have referenced the tragic death of Guinness heir Tara Brown, who was a close personal friend of both Lennon and McCartney.

Contrasting with these morbid words was the seemingly meaningless line “4,000 holes in Blackburn Lancashire,” which described an unusual North West England traffic scheme. Featuring prominent use of classical instruments within the melody, this song contains a depth that was largely absent from earlier Beatles’ tracks. Q Magazine ranked it one of the 50 greatest British Songs of All Time, and it sits at number 26 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.

Perhaps the band’s most successful album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band topped both the US and UK charts and won four Grammy awards in 1968.

Early estimate for this handwritten piece of pop culture history is $500,000 to $700,000.