Here at HealthierTalk.com as the year comes to a close we want to take a moment to wish you health and happiness in the coming New Year. We hope that your new year ahead is filled with peace and joy…oh and lots and lots of smiles. 

And speaking of the New Year have you ever wondered about the history of the classic New Year’s song “Auld Lang Syne"? I know I have, so I looked up some details to share with you.

“Auld Lang Syne" is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns (1759--1796) and later set to the tune of a traditional folk song. Burns claimed that he had actually collected much of the material for his poem from an old man and that it was in reality an “old song” that had never before been written down.

It’s now a custom in many English-speaking countries to sing the song at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day. The title literally translates to “old long since” or in modern nomenclature “Long long ago…” or “Once upon a time…”

I thought it would be fun to sing it together with you this year. But if you’re anything like me the words that come after the first verse can be just a tad confusing so I found a video version that provides the lyrics in an easy-to-follow scroll sung here by sung by Dougie MacLean on the album Tribute. I’m also listing them below for your convenience.

So, what do you say? Won’t you take a moment and couple of minutes and sing a round of Aulde Lang Syne with me as you reflect on years past and the wonderful possibilities for the ones ahead of us?

Burns' Original Scots verse: 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.

We twa hae run about the braes,

and pou'd the gowans fine;

But we've wander'd mony a weary fit,

sin' auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn,

frae morning sun till dine;

But seas between us braid hae roar'd

sin' auld lang syne.

REPEAT 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-stoup!

And surely I'll be mine!

And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!

And gies a hand o' thine!

And we'll tak a right gude-willie-waught,

for auld lang syne.

REPEAT CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

REPEAT CHORUS:

About the author

An enthusiastic believer in the power of natural healing, Alice has spent virtually her entire 17-year career in the natural-health publishing field helping to spread the word.

She is an advocate of self-education and is passionate about the power of group knowledge sharing, like the kind found right here on HealthierTalk.com. Alice loves to share her views on holistic and natural healing as well as her, sometimes contentious, thoughts on the profit-driven inner workings of traditional medicine.

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