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Sung by a true Scot, Ronnie
Brown of 'The Corries'
To the tune probably used originally!
"Auld Lang Syne" is a
Scottish poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the
tune of a traditional folk song.
[In Scots syne is pronounced like the
English word 'sign'.]
Robert Burns forwarded a copy of the
original song to the Scots Musical Museum with the remark, "The
following song, an old song, of the olden times, and which has
never been in print, nor even in manuscript until I took it down
from an old man". At the time it was fashionable to claim
someone else's work. It was "traditional"; therefore, one should
take Burns' statement with mild scepticism. Some of the lyrics
were indeed "collected" rather than composed by the poet; the
ballad "Old Long Syne" printed in 1711 by James Watson shows
considerable similarity in the first verse and the chorus to
Burns' later poem. It is a fair supposition to attribute the
rest of the poem to Burns himself.
There is great doubt as to whether the
melody used today [not this one] is the same one Burns
originally intended!
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 of 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
pou'd the gowans fine,
But we've wander'd monie 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.
And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne