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Auld Lang Syne

Auld Lang Syne

         I bet many of us have sang this old tune many times.  How many of you know the lyrics for each verse?  Haw many of you knew there were more than one verse?  Most importantly, what are we singing about?  What does it all mean?

         Well, let's look into those thoughts.

         First, a little bit about this old folk song.  The text is a Scots-language poem that was not written by Robert Burns.  He collected the lyrics collected and formalized the lyrics around 1788, basing them on older folk songs to preserve Scottish culture and language.  In 1799 it was set to a traditional pentatonic tune, which has since become standard.  We know the first verse, what about the rest of it?

         Lyrics, first in Scottish, then English.

Scottish

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely ye'll be your pint-stoup!
and surely I'll be mine!
And we'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Chorus

We twa hae run about the braes,
and pou'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary fit,
sin' auld lang syne.

Chorus

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn,
frae morning sun till dine;[c]
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
sin' auld lang syne.

Chorus

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
and gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak' a right gude-willie waught,
for auld lang syne.

Chorus

English

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

Chorus
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely you'll buy your pint cup!
and surely I'll buy mine!
And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Chorus

We two have run about the hills,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we've wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

Chorus

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

Chorus

And there's a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o' thine!
And we'll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

Chorus

         What it all boils down to is this.  We sing this old song in remembrance of the past.  The past year (New Years Eve especially), but at many other times also.  As well as celebrating the New Year, "Auld Lang Syne" is very widely used to symbolise other "endings/new beginnings" – including farewells, funerals (and other memorials of the dead), graduations, the end of a (non-New Year) party, jamborees of the Scout Movement, the election of a new government, the last lowering of the Union Jack as a British colony achieves independence and as a signal that a retail store is about to close for the day.

         Now you know more about Auld Lang Syne than you did before, as well as knowing when you may hear it sung.