Auld Lang Syne

(Originally posted 12-31-06 8:47 p.m. MST. Bumped to the top for hopefully obvious reasons. Scroll down for newer posts.)

Robert Burns wrote a poem that became a song. Ah Burns...what else can you say about a poet who found a rhyme for the word "purple"? He wrote Scots Wha Hae which for a long time was considered the unofficial anthem for Scotland. Burns was revered by Scots. It is rumored that after a reading of some of Burn's work that a Scotsman stood up & shouted "Where's your Willie Shakespheare now?" But what we all remember about Burns (even if we didn't know it was his work) is Auld Lang Syne. Here are the lyrics & as you can see it's not just that one verse. If you've never paid attention to the other verses the poem/song is more or less reminiscing about an old friend & hoping for a reunion in better times. Here is a more in depth discussion of the poem/song & its origins from the Burns Encyclopedia.

Here's the USC Singers Alumni singing Auld Lang Syne. For you non-traditionalists here's Die Toten Hosen doing their interpretation of Auld Lang Syne. For those with groove in their hearts here's Aretha Franklin & Billy Preston doing the tune. (ahhh - 'Retha...) More into Bluegrass? Here's The Rex James Bros picking & a grinning the tune (note that's a harp guitar, archtop guitar & an octave mandolin they're playing). Into classic TV? Here's Your Hit Parade's 1953 cats singing Auld Lang Syne.

But of course I must make mention (since it's one of my seasonal favs) of a slightly newer New Years Eve tune that carries a similar if somewhat more depressing theme. It was written in 1981 by Colorado resident Dan Folgelberg & called Same Old Lang Syne. (I should note that Fogelberg is currently fighting prostate cancer but seems to be winning at the moment.) It's a sad tune but sweet. Here's a vid of the tune & here are the lyrics.

& since I assume most of you are already out for the evening (or spending it in the company of loved ones) I'd caution you to watch the volume when you click the links to the vids. The hangover fairy isn't very forgiving on January 1rst. :)

Posted by Publicola at December 31, 2006 11:59 PM | TrackBack