29th April 2026
'Goodbye' Lyric Sheet
This is Mary's statement regarding the 'Goodbye' lyrics that were offered for sale in an auction in April 2026. These are a handwritten first draft by Paul McCartney on Apple headed notepaper.
In 1969, I recorded 'Goodbye', the song that Paul McCartney had written for me. He kindly gave me his original handwritten draft of the lyrics, which I treasured. My manager, Stan Sherrington, also my brother-in-law, who had access to all my files, at some point took the lyric sheet without my consent. I assumed it was safely stored with all my other music memorabilia and paperwork, so had no reason to question it.
When I gave up my full-time music career in 1972, our business relationship ended, and we lost touch entirely when he and my sister were divorced in the early 1970s.
Many years later, in 2002, he contacted me by email, claiming that I had given him the lyric sheet and he asked me for a letter of verification. I replied and refused, as I had not given it to him, and I asked him to return it. I heard nothing more from him. He died in 2003 and I had no contact details for his family and therefore had no knowledge of what happened to my property.
I had no idea that the item had been sold, and it is only a few days ago that I learnt of the current upcoming auction of the lyric sheet, which is my property and being sold without my consent. The letter accompanying the item, apparently written by Stan Sherrington, is untrue.
I have just seen the photographs on the auction site and on the back of the lyric sheets, I can see my own handwriting. It is clear that I was writing lyric ideas for one of my own songs.
Mary Hopkin
Wednesday 29th April 2026
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