Auld Lang Syne

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 dear,
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.

Chorus:
For auld lang syne, etc.

We twa hae mn about the braes
And pou'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary foot
Sin' auld lang syne.

Chorus:
For auld lang syne, etc. -

We two hae paidled i' the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne.

Chorus:
For auld lang syne, etc.

And here's a hand, my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o' thine;
And we'll tak' a right gude-willy waught,
For auld lang syne.

Chorus:
For auld lang syne, etc.

Auld Lang Syne
Described by Burns as 'a song of olden times, He wrote only two of the verses. The others are original, passed down from singing parent to listening child. Music was vital to Burns in capturing old songs and he taught himself to play the fiddle to enable him to pick out and record the tunes, which he did by noting down his fingering on paper. The handclasp in the last verse is the emblem of brotherhood amongst men.

What other song commands such universal homage worldwide? What gathering would be considered properly wound up without the rendering of Auld Lang Syne as a finale? And who, with Scottish blood in their veins, would welcome in a New Year without it?

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