Auld Lang Syne

The song "Auld Lang Syne" is most known for the times it is sung at New Year's celebrations. It is sung all over the world, mostly in English-speaking countries, but it's popularity has been growing beyond those borders. It is a song that calls upon the listener to think about old times and asks if they should be forgotten; it is generally agreed upon that the meaning is that people should not forget the past or old friendships.

The song itself was originally a poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to a traditional folk song. The term Auld Lang Syne had been used in other poems that predated Burns's: Robert Ayton (who died in 1638), Allan Ramsay (who died in 1757), and James Watson. Watson wrote a poem in 1711 called "Old Long Syne" and the first words of the first stanza are almost identical. It has become generally accepted that Burns copied the first two lines of Watson's poem, but he created the rest on his own.

The term "Auld Lang Syne" is a Scottish phrase that translates into English literally as "old long since", which can be thought of as "long long ago", "days gone by", or "old times". The chorus uses the line "For auld lang syne", which could be translated as for the sake of old times".

The song is Scottish in origin, and it became the tradition at New Year's to sing. The song quickly spread to England, Ireland, and Wales. As members of the British Isles emigrated across the world, they took the song with them. Beginning in 1929, the band leader Guy Lombardo is credited with popularizing the song as a tradition in America because of his shows on radio and television. "Auld Lang Syne" became his signature song on his shows, and he went on to record the song twice (1939 and 1947). There are accounts of the song in America sooner (such as a newspaper article from Massachusetts in 1896 entitled "Holiday Parties at Lenox"), but sometimes it isn't who came first, it's who's remembered.

"Auld Lang Syne" is thought of as a song of sadness and a song of joy, depending on the event that it is sung/played at. Most people think of this song as a New Year's only song; however, there are many other events that the song has been used for. Some of these are as follows: farewells, funerals, graduations, end of Boy Scout gatherings, new government elections, retail store closings, and the lowering of the Union Jack when a British colony achieves independence. In the British Isles, the song is closely associated with Robert Burns, and is sung/played at memorials and remembrances of Burns.

Either way it is used, the song evokes memories and changes in life, and any change brings new beginnings. So, for that fitting idea, here's the first three stanzas of James Watson's "Old Long Syne" (1711):

Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,
and never thought upon;
The flames of Love extinguished,
and fully past and gone:
Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,
that loving Breast of thine;
That thou canst never once reflect
on Old long syne.

My Heart is ravisht with delight,
when thee I think upon;
All Grief and Sorrow takes the flight,
and speedily is gone;
The bright resemblance of thy Face,
so fills this, Heart of mine;
That Force nor Fate can me displease,
for Old long syne.

Since thoughts of thee doth banish grief,
when from thee I am gone;
will not thy presence yield relief,
to this sad Heart of mine:
Why doth thy presence me defeat,
with excellence divine?
Especially when I reflect
on Old long syne

See you in 2012! Keep on the lookout for more expendablenlightenment!