Rare Handwritten Lyric and Chord Sheet for Fleetwood Mac's 'Man of the World' by Peter Green Up for Auction
A handwritten lyric and chord sheet for the Fleetwood Mac song "Man of the World" by guitarist Peter Green is up for auction and could potentially sell for £15,000. The sheet features the lyrics for the 1969 single, which reached Number 2 in the UK charts and stayed there for 14 weeks. The sheet, written in blue ballpoint pen with corrections in black ink, shows Green's meticulous process of finalizing each line with a tick at the end.
Ewbank’s auction house in Woking, Surrey, is handling the sale of the lyric sheet, with hopes of reaching a bid of up to £15,000. The starting bid is currently set at £6,000, and there have been no bids so far. Peter Green, the guitarist and songwriter behind the song, wrote it during a particularly sad period in his life, according to a spokesperson for Ewbank’s. The song's emotional depth reflects Green's mental state at the time and sheds light on his decision to leave Fleetwood Mac and his subsequent struggles with mental illness.
Peter Green, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 73, was a highly influential figure in the blues and rock music scenes. His unique guitar playing style earned him praise from fellow musicians like Eric Clapton and BB King. Green's battle with mental health issues in the 1970s led to a diagnosis of schizophrenia and time spent in psychiatric hospitals. Despite his challenges, Green made a professional comeback in the late '70s and early '80s, attributing his breakdown to past drug abuse, including LSD.
In addition to his musical legacy, Peter Green's name is synonymous with the iconic 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard known as "Greeny." This guitar, used by Green during his time with John Mayall and Fleetwood Mac, was later owned by Gary Moore before finding its way into the hands of Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett. Green's impact on the music world is undeniable, and his contributions to rock music from the blues and folk movements continue to resonate with fans and musicians alike.