Volume 14 , Issue 1

Auld Lang Syne (Long, Long Since)

Ever wondered about the history and words of the song, Auld Lang Syne, we sing on New Years and has become the anthem sung around the world? It is considered to be one of Scotland's gifts to the world, recalling the love and kindness of days gone by, taking our neighbors hands in communions as we give a sense of belonging, fellowship into the future.



It is a folk song from the lowland Scots tradition collected and fashioned by the pen of songwriter poet, Robert Burns. It is a mere fragment from an old ballad that was transformed into a memorable love song or Scots poem.

I sometimes wonder who this Mrs. Dunlop was that the poet Bard's first mention of it in a letter to Mrs. Dunlop in 1788, because my WARWICK's married into DUNLOP's. Could there be a genealogy connection here?

Anyway . . . Here is the first mention of this Scots poem in a letter to Mrs. Dunlop in 1788, "Light be the turf on the breast of the heaven inspired Poet who composed this glorious fragment."

The Auld Land Syne tune that is sung from Times Square and around the world is not the one Robert Burns put the original words. The older tune is still sung by traditional singers and has a more douce, gentle and nostalgic fell to it than the popular tune.

The literal meaning of Auld Lang Syne is Old Long Since, or Long, Long Ago. The lyrics talk about raging a toast to days gone by and all the joyous adventures embarked upon between friends.

Of course, the most commonly remembered verse in America is the opening stanza: "Should old acquaintance be forgot / and never brought to mind? / Should old acquaintance be forgot / and days o' lang syne?"

These lines ask whether one can forget the days that have gone by and the friends with whom those days have been spent. Consecutive verses recall those days, before ending with the verse:

"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 (Long, Long Since)."

Scots Language version of Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne.
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-stowp!
And surely I'll be mine!
And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes
And pu'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary foot
Sin auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl'd i' the burn,
Frae mornin' sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.
And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right guid willy waught,
For auld lang syne.

English translated version of Long, Long Ago

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And long, long ago.
And for long, long ago, my dear
For long, long ago,
We'll take a cup of kindness yet,
For long, long ago
And surely youll buy your pint-jug!
And surely I'll buy mine!
And we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
For long, long ago.
We two have run about the hills
And pulled the daisies fine;
But we've wandered manys the weary foot
Since long, long ago.
We two have paddled in the stream,
From morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
Since long, long ago.
And there's a hand, my trusty friend!
And give us a hand of yours!
And we'll take a deep draught of good-will
For long, long ago.

Did Auld Lang Syne get its start as a poem written by Scottish poet Robert Burns that was set to the tune of an old Scottish folk song?

Although Burns' poem was dated to 1788, there are some lyrics that appear to have been taken from an earlier poem by James Watson, titled Old Long Syne. It was not long before the song became traditional in Scotland and the British Isles as a folk song to be sung to commemorate the New Year.

As folks from that area of the world emigrated to the States, they brought the tradition with them and it became enmeshed in our American tradition. Thanks to the Scottish people of our distant pasts for leaving such a great legacy to the World!   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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