In Days of Auld Lang Syne

Few songs are as instantly recognizable as “Auld Lang Syne.” Even if you don’t know the words, you know the tune. We hear it live from Times Square after the ball drops and in the background of classic films such as It’s a Wonderful Life, The Apartment, and An Affair to Remember. It has seeped into our cultural consciousness, becoming synonymous with this time of year.

Its story dates back at least to the 1780s, when renowned Scottish poet Robert Burns sent a poem titled “Auld Lang Syne” to the Scots Musical Museum. Burns claimed the Scottish song was an ancient one, passed down orally from generation to generation, but that he just happened to be the first to bother to put them down. Since then, the song has become an essential part of New Years celebrations across the English-speaking world. It’s even left its mark on the non-English speaking world: the song’s melody has been used in the national anthems of the Korean exile government from 1945-48, present-day South Korea, and, before 1972, in the anthem of the Maldives. It has been a touchstone and inspiration for similar songs in Thailand, The Netherlands, Denmark, and Japan.

The titular phrase, roughly translating to “times gone by,” evokes much of what this song has come to embody around the world during this festive season. Evoking a sense of nostalgia and fellowship, it reminds us of the times that we’ve had the good fortune of experiencing and those with whom we shared those times. It’s appropriate that the song as we know it today is only one version of a tune that was, allegedly, passed down for generations prior to its recording on paper. Singing the song was a tradition long before we knew it to be one. 

Much like any tradition worth preserving, Auld Lang Syne speaks to the greatest of truths in our shared human experience. Time’s passage forces us to reckon with the past, and the advent of a new year allows us the opportunity to reflect and contemplate. This song’s haunting melody and nostalgic lyrics encapsulate life’s bittersweet beauty. Its words encourage us to remember, and we cannot avoid thinking of both the good and the bad. Each of the song’s verses illustrates this inevitable truth by evoking a joyful memory (“We two have paddled in the stream, From morning sun till dine…”) before acknowledging the harsh realities that time has wrought (“But seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne”).

Life contains triumphs and failures, joyful meetings and sad partings, life and death. We cannot have the good without the bad, nor can we have the bad without the good. Not only that, but only after experiencing the sting of sorrow can we fully appreciate joy’s ecstasy. This truth permeates the films that feature Auld Lang Syne, such as It’s a Wonderful Life and The Apartment, making the song’s inclusion not just a musical choice but a thematic one. And while not doing so explicitly, the song permits those who hear it the chance to both mourn the loss of innocence and celebrate the possibilities for growth in the new year. We hear this in the final verse.

And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
For auld lang syne.

For all its notoriety, Auld Lang Syne is a beautifully strange contradiction. It is a eulogy for the old year and inaugural address for the new. Sobering and uplifting, haunting and beautiful, it encourages all who sing it to accept the good along with the bad, appreciate life’s beauty, and value our friendships past and present. So, wherever you may be this New Year’s Eve and whomever you are with, be sure to sing this song. Whether you sing the first two verses, just the chorus, or even hum the melody, Auld Lang Syne gives us permission to be grateful for the life we have lived and the clarity to move forward. It reminds us what it means to be human.

If you’re interested, you can read the full lyrics below. To hear the song, you can also watch my favorite version of the song, arranged and performed by Scottish folk singer Dougie MacLean.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my jo,
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.

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

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

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right guid willy waught,
For auld lang syne.

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And long, long ago.

And for long, long ago, my dear
For long, long ago,
We'll take a cup of kindness yet,
For long, long ago

And surely youll buy your pint-jug!
And surely I'll buy mine!
And we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
For long, long ago.

We two have run about the hills
And pulled the daisies fine;
But we've wandered manys the weary foot
Since long, long ago.

We two have paddled in the stream,
From morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
Since long, long ago.

And there's a hand, my trusty friend!
And give us a hand of yours!
And we'll take a deep draught of good-will
For long, long ago.