Auld Lang Syne is a poem written by the Scottish National poet Robert Burns (1769-1796). Burns claimed that it was a Scottish folk song he got from an old timer. This is probably true, but literary scholars are almost certain two of the verses were written by Burns himself.
Burns did not write the music. Over the years it has been sent to two different Scottish folk songs. The one that we know was made popular by Guy Lombardo in the Royal Canadians. They are settings by many composers. Haydn. Beethoven wrote an arrangement of Auld Lang Syne. One of my favorites, that still tugs in my heart, is Dan Fogelberg’s version at the end of Same Old Lang Syne.
Auld lang syne, means “old long since” or maybe “old long ago.” In modern English we might say, “the good old days.” Burn’s words:
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?
Should old acquaintance be forgotten? The rhetorical question answers itself. Should they never be brought to mind? Let’s raise a glass, and make a toast to those who went before us.
I’m reminded of the old nursery tune:
Make new friends; keep the old.
One is silver and the other gold.
I particularly liked the fourth verse:
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.
“Burn” here is a stream. We ran around the braes and paddled the streams together, but now oceans divide us. Though they are long gone, let us raise a glass to the good old days. Tyler Shaw renders it like this:
We two have paddled in the burn,
From morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
sin’ auld lang syne.
Burn’s Original Poem
1. 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.
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
Beethoven’s arrangement (1815):
