Guy Lombardo introduced America to Robert Burn’s poem Auld Land Syne in his New Year’s eve show broadcast annually from 1929 through 1977.
The phrase “auld lang syne” translates from the Scots language to modern English as “old long since.” It can be interpreted as “old times, especially times fondly remembered” or an “old or long friendship.” It readily conjures up feelings of nostalgia.
Auld Lang Syne
Robert Burns – 1759-1796
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 dear,
For auld lang syne.
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And surely ye’ll be your pint stowp!
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;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin’ auld lang syne. Chorus
And there’s a hand, my trusty fere!
And gie’s a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak a right gude-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.
The English Translation
Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot, and old lang syne?
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.
We two have run about the slopes, and picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot, since auld lang syne.
We two have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne.
And there’s a hand my trusty friend! And give us a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught, for auld lang syne.
The Musical Version
Here’s a musical rendition by the US Air Force Band in a “flash” concert at Union Station in Washington DC during the holiday season.
The 8:50 minute video opens and closes with a jazz arrangement of Jingle Bells. Auld An Syne becomes a group sing-along at 4:28. But stay around till the end to see some of the most exciting hip-hop dancing to get your party juices flowing. All this WW II flash back era sound is pre-covid, of course.
“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khQN5ylb3H0&list=RDkhQN5ylb3H0”
A happy, and entertaining way, to start the New Year.