Most
people do not know any of the lyrics beyond the first stanza and
chorus of this traditional New Year's Eve song 'Auld Lang Syne'.
During 1788 Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote down the
traditional lyrics and added some of his own.
Auld lang syne
literally means "old long since," or "long, long ago." The
phrase "for auld lang syne" translates to "for old time's sake."
The first line of the
song is a question: Should we forget our old friends?
The answer is in the chorus:
For auld lang syne, my jo (For old time's sake, my dear)
For auld lang syne (For old time's sake)
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet (We'll take a cup of kindness
yet)
For auld lang syne (For old time's sake)
The remainder of the
lyrics sound as though they are spoken to an old friend. That
unusual verse actually means, "We two have paddled in the stream
/ From morning sun 'til dinner time." The singer is reminiscing
about all the fun he and the friend have had together.
The last verse
concludes: And we'll tak' a right gude-willie waught (And we'll
take a good-will drink, alright) For auld lang syne (For old
time's sake).
The tradition of
singing Auld Lang Syne on New Year's Eve came from Scottish
immigrants who brought the custom with them when they moved
abroad. It is traditional to sing the song just before midnight
as a reminder that, even though the New Year is coming and we
are about to face new delights and challenges, we should not
forget where we came from.
Auld Lang Syne is also
sung at social gatherings like weddings or funerals.