TRADITIONAL NEW YEARS EVE CELEBRATION SONG, SUNG AT MIDNIGHT. ORIGINATED AS A SCOTTISH POEM, WRITTEN BY ROBERT BURNS (1788). 'SHOULD AULD ACQUANTANCE BE FORGOT, AND NEVER BROUGHT TO MIND? SHOULD AULD ACQUANTANCE BE FORGOT, AND DAYS OF AULD LANG SYNE"
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Story behind the song
"Auld Lang Syne" is a Scottish poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song. It is well known in many English-speaking countries and is often sung to celebrate the start of the new year at the stroke of midnight at the start of New Year's Day.
" Auld Lang Syne" was played by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians as a New Year's Eve song for the first time on December 31, 1929. Though it was played as the band's theme song for years, and it had even occasionally been sung on New Year's Eve, this was the first time that Lombardo's group played it at the Hotel Roosevelt Grill in New York City to usher in the new year. The annual tradition continued when the party moved to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel (1959-1976) and the song still kicks off the Times Square celebration every New Year's Eve.
"Auld Lang Syne" is usually sung each year at midnight on Hogmanay (New Year's Eve) in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Malta, South Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, Zimbabwe, and English-speaking areas of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and signifies the start of a new year.
In Scotland, it is often sung at the end of a ceilidh or a dance. It is common practice that everyone joins hands with the person next to them to form a great circle around the dance floor. At the beginning of the last verse, everyone crosses their arms across their breast, so that the right hand reaches out to the neighbour on the left and vice versa. When the tune ends, everyone rushes to the middle, while still holding hands. When the circle is re-established, everyone turns under the arms to end up facing outwards with hands still joined. Outside of Scotland the hands are often crossed from the beginning of the song at variance with Scottish custom.
The Scottish practice was demonstrated by the Queen at the Millennium Dome celebrations for the year 2000. The English press incorrectly berated her for not "properly" crossing her arms, unaware that she was correct.
Lyrics
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of 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 of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pu'd the gowans fine;
But we've wandered money a weary fit
Sin' auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidled i' the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roared
Sin' auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And there's a hand, my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand of thine!
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught
For auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.