Lyrics for two early songs by Bob Dylan that even his biggest fans have never heard are hitting the auction block on Thursday at Christie’s in New York. You’ve never heard of them because they were never recorded.
The manuscripts for “Talking Folklore Center” and “Go Away You Bomb” are being sold by Izzy Young, who owned the famous Folklore Center on MacDougal Street, notes The New York Times. Dylan wrote extensively on the store in his Chronicles autobiography and Young introduced Dylan to several influential folk singers at the time. Young is also responsible for putting together Dylan’s first major performance, at the Carnegie Chapter Hall in November 2961.
A friend of Young’s told the Times that proceeds from the sale will go to his current business, the Folklore Centrum in Stockholm, where Young now lives.
While Dylan never recorded the songs, lines from “Talking Folklore Center” were used in Dylan’s first performances of “Talkin’ New York,” a song on his debut album. Young is selling a hand-written manuscript and a typed version with notes by Dylan from March 1962. Christie’s estimates that it will go for between $40,000 and $60,000.
“Go Away You Bomb” was typed in 1963 and there is no known performance of the song. According to Rolling Stone, the song was written around the time Dylan recorded The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. It was up for auction in London in 2013, but it didn’t meet the reserve price. Christie’s is estimating that it sell for $30,000-$50,000.
Dylan is releasing a new album next year. He starts a four-night stand at New York’s Beacon Theater Friday.
image courtesy of INFphoto.com