Dylan's 'Like a Rolling Stone' heads to auction

Sotheby’s estimates original draft of iconic song to be sold for $1 million to $2 million

NEW YORK — One of the most popular songs of all time, Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone,” is going to auction this summer.

Sotheby’s is offering a working draft of the finished song in Dylan’s own hand for an estimated $1 million to $2 million.

The song is about a debutante who becomes a loner when she’s cast from upper-class social circles.

The draft is written in pencil on four sheets of hotel letterhead stationery with revisions, additions, notes and doodles: a hat, a bird, an animal with antlers. The stationery comes from the Roger Smith hotel in Washington, DC.

“How does it feel To be on your own” it says in his handwriting. “No direction home Like a complete unknown Like a rolling stone.”

This undated photo provided by Sotheby’s shows a page from a working draft of Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone,” one of the most popular songs of all time. (photo credit: AP/Sotheby's) — This undated photo provided by Sotheby’s shows a page from a working draft of Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone,” one of the most popular songs of all time. (photo credit: AP/Sotheby’s)

Scrawls seem to reflect the artist’s experimentation with rhymes.

The name “Al Capone” is scrawled in the margin, with a line leading to the lyrics “Like a complete unknown.”

Another note says: “…dry vermouth, you’ll tell the truth…”

Another page from a working draft of Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” (photo credit: AP/Sotheby's) — Another page from a working draft of Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” (photo credit: AP/Sotheby’s)

Dylan was only 24 when he recorded the song in 1965.

US singer-songwriter Bob Dylan performing in France in July 2012. Jonah Lehrer, a staff writer for The New Yorker, has resigned and his latest book has been halted after he acknowledged inventing quotes by Bob Dylan. (photo credit: AP Photo/David Vincent, file) — US singer-songwriter Bob Dylan performing in France, July 2012 (photo credit: AP/David Vincent/File)

The auction is June 24 as part of Sotheby’s rock and pop music sale.

Sotheby’s described the seller as a longtime fan from California “who met his hero in a non-rock context and bought directly from Dylan.” He was not identified.

Sotheby’s says it is “the only known surviving draft of the final lyrics for this transformative rock anthem.”

More of Bob Dylan’s draft “Like a Rolling Stone” (photo credit: AP/Sotheby's) — More of Bob Dylan’s draft “Like a Rolling Stone” (photo credit: AP/Sotheby’s)

In 2010, John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics for “A Day in the Life,” the final track on the Beatles’ classic 1967 album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” sold for $1.2 million, the record for such a sale.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.